Ours
by JemiLover101
Summary: What if Zuko captures Katara during The Waterbending Scroll and uses her to capture Aang? What happens he yells at her and burns her multiple times? After getting hurt all this time, what if she falls in love with him? What if he has the same feelings?
1. Chapter 1

**Wad up peep? This is my first ATLA fanfic. Tell me what you think!**

**This chapter takes place during The Waterbending Scroll. At the end, Zuko captures Katara and taked her on his ship.**

**Rated T for lanuage.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA.**

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><p>Katara growled as some water splashed onto her face. "Why can't I get this right?" She tried again and again, but the water just wouldn't work with her. "Alright, Katara," she told herself. "Just shift you're weight and. . ." She lifted the water up but it just splashed back down. She cursed.<p>

Then she heard movements. She cautiously walked towards a bush and moved the leaves. There was a fire nation ship docked next to the river. She gasped and backed up. She turned around to run only to smack into a big pirate. She tried to run but the pirate grabbed her shoulders.

"No!" Katara yelled. "Let go of me!" She bended some water into his face. He yelped and let go. Katara ran but only got to a few feet before she bumped into someone who she was hoping she would never have to see.

"I'll save you from the pirates."

Zuko took the waterbending scroll from her hand and dragged her over to a tree and tied her to it. By the time he was done, there was a whole band of pirates and Fire Nation soldiers standing before her. She glared at them.

"Tell me where he is and I won't hurt you or your brother," Zuko demanded.

"Go jump in the river!" Katara spat.

Zuko looked down, think of a way to convince her to tell him where the Avatar was. He looked back at her. "Try to understand," he said, getting closer to her. "I need to capture him to restore something I lost: my honor." He was standing behind her now, whispering in her ear seductively. Katara tried hard not to think about how sexy his voice is. "Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you've lost." With that, he held up a beautiful blue necklace. Katara's eyes widened in shock.

"My mother's necklace!" she exclaimed. "How did you get that?" All thoughts of his sexy voice was gone now.

"I didn't steal it of that's what you're wondering!" Zuko said, standing in front of her. "Tell me where he is."

"No!"

"Enough!" one of the pirates, probably the leader, said. "You promised the scroll!"

Zuko took the scroll out from his belt. "I wonder how much money this is worth." He lit a fire in his palm and held it close to the scroll. The pirated yelped in protest. "A lot apparently." He smirked. "Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone will go home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here!"

"Fine," the pirate growled. He and the others ran into the woods.

_Please Agni, _Katara prayed. _Don't let them find Aang._

She looked at Zuko and glared. He was checking her out. "Like what you see?" she asked.

He looked at her an scowled. "I don't do peasants."

He smirked at the look on her face when he said 'do'.

Katara's heart fell at the sight of Aang and Sokka being dragged here a few hours later. The sun was already up.

"Nice work," Zuko said when the two were bound and guarded by the pirated. Sokka was trying to untangle the knots but Aang was looking worriedly at Katara.

"Aang, I'm so sorry," Katara said. "This is all my fault."

"No, Katara," the young monk said. "It isn't."

"It kind of is," Iroh, Zuko's uncle said. Katara gave him a look.

"Give me the boy!" Zuko demanded.

"Give us the scroll first," the leader of the pirates said.

"You're really going to hand over the Avatar for a stupid peice of parchment?" Sokka asked. Katara gave him the 'shut the fuck up' look.

"Don't listen to him!" Zuko shouted.

"Your friend is the Avatar?" the pirate asked, turning to Aang.

"Sure is," Sokka said. "And I'm sure he's worth a lot more than some fancy scroll."

"Shut your mouth, you water tribe peasant!" Zuko yelled.

"Yeah, Sokka," Aang said. "You really should shut your mouth."

"I'm just sayin," Sokka said. "Just imagine how much the fire lord would pay for the Avatar." The pirates mouth drooled at the thought.

"Keep the scroll," the pirate said. "We could buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for the kid."

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me," Zuko seethed. With that, he and a couple other soldiers blasted fire at the pirates.

One of the pirated raced forward, throwing small bombs at them. The bombs exploded into clouds of fog. Everyone fought in a flurry of confusion.

While everyone was preoccupied, Momo cut of Katara's knots.

"Thanks, Momo," Katara said gratefully. "I owe you a bushel of apples." The lemur purred at the thought.

Zuko somehow found his way ot of the fog. He secured the scroll in his belt.

"Run!" Aang shouted. He and Sokka had somehow gotten free of the ropes. Katara ran to follow them, but Zuko caught her. She looked around desperstely for Aang or her brother but they were nowhere to be found. She sighed and gave up her struggleing.

"You're not going anywhere."

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><p><strong>So. . . What did you think?<strong>

**Review and tell me. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA. If I did, then Zuko and Katara would have ended up together. *sigh***

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><p>Katara was led to the fire navy ship, her hands bound in front of her, with soldiers on each side of her.<p>

"I hope you're not going to use her for what I think you're using her for," Iroh said.

Zuko looked at his uncle in disgust. "Of course not! She's going to help me capture the Avatar."

"And what makes you think I'm going to do that?" Katara asked.

"Because," Zuko said. "When the Avatar finds out his girlfriend has been kidnapped by the Fire Nation prince, he's going to come looking for her."

"You don't think he's that stupid do you? He's going to see that it's a trap and stay away." Even though Katara was saying this confidentally, she knew Aang would come for her. She silently prayed that he and her brother were far away by now.

"Well, nephew," Iroh said. "Since you had the courtesy of taking this girl, you can show her to her room."

"Have some guards show her," Zuko said.

"Oh, I don't know," Katara said. "Having a couple of weenies you call soldiers show me around doesn't sound like such a good idea. There's a less possible chance of me escaping when a big _strong _prince like yourself is guarding me."

Zuko scowled. "Come on," he mumbled.

Katara smirked. This could be fun.

He led her below the deck where there were a bunch of rooms. "I would put you in a cell, but Uncle said that would be rude," Zuko said.

"Thanks, you're such a gentleman." Katara rolled her eyes.

Zuko scowled and stopped by a room. "This is where you stay. My room is next to yours." He pointed to the door next to him. "Don't try anything. If you do, I'll know."

He opened the door and shoved her inside.

"Wow, that wasn't rude at all," Katara said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Shut up!" Zuko snapped. "You better not make a habit of these remarks. They're going to get you hurt."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Zuko growled and was about to close the door.

"Can you at least give me something to drink?" Katara asked.

"No." Zuko closed the door and left.

Katara sighed and slumped on her bed. This was going to be a long journey.

**A week later**

It had been a week and there was no sign of the Avatar. Each day, Zuko grew more and more irritable.

Uncle Iroh had let Katara come up to the deck, as long as she didn't try anything. The wise old man felt sorry for the girl. She shouldn't be kept away from her family like this. But this was exactly what Zuko was going through. Iroh hoped that Katara and his nephew could work out their problems and not be at each other's throat whenever they were near.

"Get up," Zuko commanded, coming into Katara's room.

"What do you want?" Katara spat.

"I said get up!" Zuko grabbed her arm and yanked her up.

"Ow! Let go you creep!" She swatted his hand away. "Where are we going?"

"To the market to get some supplies."

"Why do I have to come?"

"Because no one will be on the ship. I can't leave you here alone."

"I hate shopping. I don't want to go."

"You have to."

"No!"

"Don't make me hurt you."

"I'd like to see you try."

Zuko growled in frustration and grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up.

"Ow! Stop!" she yelled.

"I said get up," Zuko said through clenched teeth.

He held on to her arm tighly and dragged her to the door. She struggled, but that only made him hold her tighter. She punched him and ran.

"Hey!" Zuko shouted. "Come back here you fucking bitch!"

The hallway was empty so Katara could run easily. But she only got a few feet away before Zuko caught up. He wrapped his arms tightly around waist and started dragging her to the deck.

"Let go of me!" She kept screaming. "You Fire Nation _brat_!"

Zuko let go of her waist and pushed her against the wall, holding her hands on either side of her head. "_I'm _the brat? I told you to get up and come to the market with me, but you had to make a fuss about it. You will _not_ make a fool of me in front of my crew!"

"You don't need me to look like a fool," Katara said.

Zuko tightened his hold on her hands. "Don't you ever talk back to me again! Or you'll regret it."

As he got angrier, his hands got hotter, burning Katara's skin.

"Zuko, Stop. You're hurting me!" Tears formed in her eyes.

Zuko got close to her face and whispered, "Good."

"Prince Zuko, what is the meaning of this?"

Zuko and Katara turned there heads to see Iroh standing a few feet away. Zuko let go of Katara and turned to his uncle.

"I came here to check on you, and I see you burning this poor girl's hands."

"This little peasant was disrespecting me!" Zuko shouted.

Iroh shook his head. "That is no way to treat our guest."

"She's not a guest! She's a prisoner."

Iroh sighed. "What did she do to disrespect you, nephew?"

"She talked back to me and won't go to the market. You know we can't leave her alone!"

"Yes, yes," Iroh said. "Come, I'll stay with her. You go on."

"Fine." Zuko stormed past his uncle, shooting a glare at Katara.

"I'm sorry about my nephew," Iroh said to Katara. "He's not really good controlling his temper, as you can see."

"It's fine," Katara said. "You don't need to apologize for him. Thank you for stopping him though." She smiled gratefully at him.

Iroh smiled back and looked at her hands. "We need to take a look at that. Come, I'll get you some water."

Katara and Iroh went back to Katara's room. Katara sat on the bed and Iroh set a bowl of water in front of her. Katara dipped her hands into the water, hoping that her element will relax her. She closed her eyes and tried not to let the pain show. When she opened her eyes again, she was suprised to see the water glowing. When she pulled out her hands, the burns were gone.

"You have healing abilities," Iroh said in amazement. "The great benders of the Water Tribes have this ability. I always wished I was blessed like you, free from this burning curse."

"But you're a great master," Katara said. "You have powers I'll never know."

"Water brings healing and life. But fire only brings distruction and pain. It forces us burdened with it's care to walks a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we're torn apart."

Katara looked at Iroh with a newfound respect. All her life, she had thought that everyone from the Fire Nation was a monster. Now she knows that there are some people out there like Iroh, who are ashamed of what their nation has done. She was suprised that this kind old man was realted to Zuko.

"Thank you," she said.

Iroh waved a hand. "Come onto the deck with me. It must be terrible being locked up in this room all day."

"You're not going to tie my hands or anything?"

"No, I don't think that's necessery. I'm a sure a girl like you would never attack a defensless old man like me."

"Something tells me you're not so defensless."

"Than you are very wise."

Iroh winked at her and led her onto the deck. The next few hours were spent with Iroh teaching Katara how to play Pai Sho. She wasn't very fond of the idea at first, but after she got the hang of it, it became fun. Iroh made good company, always cracking jokes and talking about his childhood. It felt nice to Katara to be under the blue sky talking to Iroh, with the sound of waves against the ship and the sweet smell of the sea in the air.

After playing a few rounds of Pai Sho, Iroh decided to make some tea. It was the best Katara had ever had.

"You know," Iroh said. "You can practice your Waterbending if you like."

"Really?" Katara asked suprised.

"Of course. You've been way from your element for far too long. It's not healthy. Go, have some fun."

"Thank you."

Katara raced to the side of the ship and gazed out into the ocean. She took a deep breath and raised her hands above her head, rising the water with her. She twirled the water around her body and then lashed it out into the ocean. With gentle flicks of her wrist, she moved the water at her command. She had almost forgotten how good it felt to Waterbend. She felt to safe and free. She felt like nothing could stop her. . .

"Uncle, what are you doing?"

Katara's peace was interupted by a very angry looking prince.

"I felt bad that she was locked up in her room," Iroh said. "So I decided to bring her out here and let her practice her bending."

"But she could have escaped!"

"But I didn't!" Katara said. "At least your uncle was nice enough to let me have some fresh air while I'm used for bait. And he makes way better company than you do!"

"Whatever," Zuko said. "Go back to your room."

Katara rolled her eyes but obeyed. She wasn't in a mood to get burned again.

She got to her room and laid down on her bed. She wondered what Sokka and Aang were doing right now. Were they looking for her? Or did the decided to continue their jourey to teach Aang all four elements without her?

As much as she hoped it was the latter one, the thought saddened her. It just meant that she had been abandoned my more people. First her mom died, then her dad left to go to war, and now she was seperated from her brother.

She just they laid there on her bed, in a ball, and started crying. Could her life get any worse?

Well, at least she had made a friend.

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><p><strong>So, how was it? Review and tell me please.<strong>

**The conversation that Katara and Iroh had after Katara healed herself was from The Deserter.**

**Review :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, hey, hey. I'm back. This chapter is going to take place during The Storm. Enjoy. :)**

**Reply to ananymous reviewer:**

**Zutara22324: **Thank you so much! It means a lot to me. And I absolutely love Zutara. And sorry, but I hate Twilight. I'm sorry but I just can't stand that crap, and I'm a girl. It's just not my type of stuff. Again, thanks for reviewing! :)

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA**

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><p>"Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all," Katara mocked Zuko, looking at the cloudy sky from where she was playing Pai Sho with Iroh.<p>

Another week had passed, Iroh had predicted that there was going to be a huge storm. Zuko had dismissed the idea, claiming that the sky was perfectly clear and that it was safe to travel.

"Luck guess," Iroh said.

Zuko growled and turned towards Katara. "Didn't you learn your lesson. You better learn some respect, or I'll teach it to you just like I did the last time."

Katara glared at him. "What do you know about respect?" Zuko stopped in his tracks. Iroh made hand gestures to stop Katara, but she ignored them. She was fed up by the way Zuko talked to everyone, acting like he owned them. It was about time someone talked some sense into him. "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard working crew to your kind uncle shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince."

Zuko turned around and started walking towards her. She stood her ground. If she was intimidated by him, she didn't show it.

Zuko raised his fist to punch her, but Iroh came in between them. "Enough!" he shouted. "We're all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone feel much better."

Zuko and Katara kept glaring at each other. After a while, they gave up and went away in seperate directions.

"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship," Zuko said to Iroh. Iroh came up to him and put a hand on his shoulder but he shook it off, not noticing the hurt expression on his uncle's face. He walked towards the head of the ship and looked up at the sky. Iroh sighed, deciding to leave him alone. He went belowdeck to Katara's room.

"Ugh, why is he such a brat?" Katara shouted. "He just takes everything for granted and doesn't even stop to be thankful for it!"

"I know Zuko can be very irritable at times, but try to understand. My nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"Well, I'm not sure if he will like me telling you this, but I think you should know. You see, was thirteen, he wanted to go into a war meeting his father was having. But the guards wouldn't let him through. He complained to me about it, so I decided to let him come. I really shouldn't have."

Katara listened, interested.

"In the meeting, one of the soldiers was talking about sending in some of our new army crew as bait. It was a terrible plan, sacrificing our own men, just to win a stupid battle. I should have spoken out, but I kept my mouth shut, knowing that it was a bad idea. But Zuko didn't know that. He spoke out against the general, saying that he was betraying soldiers who love and defend our nation. He was right, but the old men in there were stubborn. As a punishment for speaking out of turn, he was challenged to an Agni Kai, a firebending duel. He accepted, thinking it was against the general. But when he turned to his opponet, he realized that it was against his own father. Zuko begged for his fathers forgiveness, apologizing over and over again. Ozia would have none of it. When Zuko refused to fight him, he burned his face. I looked away."

Katara gasped. So that's how he got the scar!

"As punishment for being disrespectful, Zuko was banished. The only way he could regain his honor, is by capturing the Avatar."

"So that's why he's so obsessed with capturing Aang," Katara said. "It's his only way back home."

"I know my nephew doesn't seem like such a good guy, but the Avatar has given him hope. If you give him a chance and get to know him, you'll find that he's not such a bad guy."

Katara looked down. "I'll try."

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><p>Zuko sat in is room, meditating. As he tried to concentrate, images of his past ran through his head. Playing with his little sister, Azula. Standing by his father with a smile on his face, his father's arm around him. His mother. . .<p>

He wondered what everyone was doing. His father was probably spreading his evil and tortureing people. Azula was probably helping him with that. She was always her fathers favorite, always being better than Zuko at everything. But what about his mother. . . Where was she? Was she thinking about him right now, like he was thinking about her? Was she even alive?

He was interupted by a knock on his door. "What?" he yelled.

The door opened and his uncle came in. "May I sit with you." Zuko nodded.

Iroh sat on Zuko's bed. Zuko came to site sown next to him. "I just had a talk with Miss Katara," Iroh said. "I knew you wouldn't like it, but I told her about how you got your scar."

"You what?" Zuko asked, enraged. "Why would you do that? She has no right knowing about my past."

"Please calm down and try to understand, my nephew. She has also been seperated from her family. You know how she is feeling right now. You both are going through the same thing. Why don't you talk to her, get to know each other a bit. You might even become friends."

"I'm not going to open up and become friends with a prisoner."

Iroh sighed. He knew this was going to be difficult. Zuko was very stubborn. "Can you at least try? For me?"

Zuko sighed. His uncle had been with him from the moment he was banished three years ago. How could he say no? "Fine. I'll try."

Iroh smiled.

Suddenly, there was thunder and they felt the ship being struck by lightning. The ship shook violently. Everyone scurried onto the deck.

Katara ran up and bended some water around the ship to protect it from further lightning.

"Look!" Iroh shouted.

Katara followed his finger and looked at the watch tower of the ship. It was on fire and a soldier was dangling over the edge, holding on for his dear life. Katara looked in horror as one of his hands slipped. She desperately wanted to do something to help.

She was suprised to see another figure climbing the latter; Zuko. Katara quickly ran to the bottom of it, ready to help. She forgot that she was holding up a sheild of water and it came splashing down.

Iroh looked at the sky and saw a bolt of lightning heading their way. He took a deep breath and held to finges towards it. The lightning flowed through his body and was redirected back into the sea.

Zuko got to the man and helped him down. The man's hand slipped and he started to fall towards the ground. Katara acted quickly by sending up a wave of water to him and gently carried him down with it. She looked at Zuko who was looking at her with a look of gratitude. Their eyes met and he nodded at her. He swore he saw her blush!

Soon enough the rain stopped and the sea became calm again. Everyone was given blankets.

"Hey, look!" Someone shouted, pointing at the sky. There, they saw a huge sky bison fly by. It was the Avatar!

"What do you want us to do, sir?" one of the soldiers asked.

Zuko was about to shout orders to go after him, but one look at his crew stopped him. They all looked tired and cold. He sighed. "Let them go. All we need to do now is get this ship to safety.

The soldier nodded, suprised that the prince hadn't yelled at him.

Zuko looked at Katara who was sitting at a corner, slightly panting. This was the most energy she had used in a long time. He walked towards her.

"Hey," he said approaching her. "Um. . . Thanks for. . . helping me. . . save that guy. And for protecting my ship."

"Uh. . . No problem," she said, accepting the blanket that he handed to her.

He stood there umcomfertablely, just staring at her. Katara looked down, not wanting to looking into his golden eyes.

Zuko cleared his throat and gave her a small smile before walking away.

Well. . . This wasn't awkward at all.

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><p><strong>Yes, I know it's really short. I was going to make it longer, but it's like 11 PM and I'm tired. Also, something has come up so idk when I'll get to update again. Super sorry. I'll try to make the next chap long.<strong>

**REMEMBER: More reviews= me being motivated= me writing more= you getting a quicker update. :)**

**Peace.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next chap. It takes place during The Blue Spirit. Enjoy!**

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><p>They were all sitting below the Fire Navy ship. Zuko was talking to the captain and Katara was playing Pai Sho with Iroh. She was starting to get bored of it, but it was better than sitting in her room all day. And Iroh always seemed to win.<p>

"We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm," the captain said. "But if we continue heading northeast - "

He was interupped by a huge shadow. Everyone looked out the window to see a huge Fire Nation ship cross by.

"What to they want?" Zuko asked.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho," Iroh insisted, rubbing his hands together. Katara rolled her eyes, smiling.

Some soldiers crossed from the ship onto theirs. One of them opened up a scroll with Aang's picture on it. "The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance," the soldier said. "All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao."

"Zhoa has been promoted?" Iroh noted. "Well, good for him."

Katara raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Grinning, Iroh placed a tile on the Pai Sho table, beating her once again. She sighed.

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao," Zuko said, crossing his arms. "Now get off my ship and let us pass!"

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area," the general said.

"Off my ship!" Zuko shouted. The soldiers turned without saying a word and left.

"Excellent!" Iroh exclaimed to Katara. "You're improving."

Katara smiled at his excitement. "So who's Zhao?"

"Just some arrogant, stuck up jerk that cares about nothing but money and himslef," Zuko said.

"Hmm, so almost like you?" Katara teased.

Zuko scowled but said nothing. He had been trying to take his Uncle's advice and not be too hard on her. No matter how annoying she was.

A while later, they all went up to the deck. Zuko changed into his training pants and a shirt that revealed his muscular arms.

As Zuko trained, punching fire in every direction, Katara watched him. She was impressed. He seemed to know what he was doing. The way his muscles flexed everytime he summoned fire. The way his hair flew all over the place in its ponytail. The way sweat trickled down his sexy six-pack. . .

_Whoa, Katara. Where did that come from?_

She blushed at her thoughts and looked down.

"Is everthing ok?" Iroh asked. "It's been over an hour and you haven't given a man an order."

"I don't care what they do," Zuko said, turning away from him.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhoa."

"How, Uncle?" Zuko asked desperately. "With Zhao's resources, it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar." He sadly turned to look out into the horrizon. "My honor, my throne, my country. I'm about to lose them all."

Katara looked at him sadly. He sounded like he was about to cry! That was _not_ like the Zuko she knew.

"You know," she said. "If you weren't a crazy prince trying to capture the world's last hope for peace, I would actually help you."

Zuko angrily turned towards her. "Will you stop making a joke of everything! You have no idea what I'm going through here."

"I don't?" Katara asked. "Have you forgotten that it's because of you and your nation that we're at war. It's becasue of your nation that my whole family has been seperated. My mom is dead, my dad is at war, my brother is probably on the other side of the world, helping the Avatar learn all four elements, and my pour grandmother is all alone, fending for our tribe and trying to help them survive. I know what's it's like to be away from your home."

"All because of me?" Zuko shouted.

"Yes becasue of you! Or your nation at least. You guys go around, spreading war and hatred. Attacking innocent villages, taking family members away from each other, thinking you're all better than everyone. The world was at peace 100 years ago. Why did you guys have to ruin that?" Katara was almost in tears now.

Zuko didn't take notice of that. Before Iroh could stop him, he slapped her.

"Zuko!" Iroh shouted.

Zuko ignored him and grabbed Katara by her neck. "Don't you dare talk about the greatest nation of all times like that! You water peasant bitch!"

"That's enough, Zuko!" Iroh said pushing him away from her. Katara fell to the floor coughing and clutching her neck, tears streaming down her cheek. "Why don't you go to your room and cool down."

Zuko was about to protest but decided against it and stormed to his room.

"I'm really sorry about that," Iroh said, helping Katara up. " You must be very patient with him. My nephew doesn't really know how to controll his temper."

"Yeah, no kidding." Katara gave him a small smile.

Iroh rubbed her back and escorted her to her room.

**Zuko's POV**

I paced my room angrily. But I wasn't mad at Katara, I was mad at myself. After promising my uncle to be nicer to Katara, I go and nearly choke her to death. I'm so stupid!

All I wanted to do was to tell her that she was wrong. That my nation wasn't like that. But what do I do instead? I slap her! Stupid!

That just proved that everything she said was right. We are monsters. Instead of spreading our greatness, we spread hurt and fear. Maybe we really weren't so great. Maybe everything we were taught since we were kids was a lie. . .

I sighed and slumped down on my bed. I decided to get some sleep and worry about this tomorrow.

After a few hours of tossing and turning, I finally gave up. I got out of bed and walked off the ship. Maybe a little walk will help me clear my mind.

I walked for a while until I came to a small swamp. I sighed and sat down next to the river. I picked up a few pebbles and started throwing them into the water.

I knew I had to apologize to Katara sooner or later. I just didn't know how. Talking to girls was never my specialty.

I sighed again.

Suddenly, I heard a noise. I got up and went over to some tall grass. I pulled them aside and peered through. My eyes widened at what I saw.

The Avatar was standing in the swamp, the water coming up to his knee. What was he doing here? And where was the Water Tribe idiot that called himself a warrior.

The Avatar bent down and picked something up from the water. When he came back up, I saw he was holding a frozen frog. I don't know why, but he put it in his pocket and bent down to pick some more.

This was perfect. He was there, in plain sight, without any defense. Well, maybe his Airbending and who knows how many elements he has learned since the last time I saw him. But I can still take him.

I saw a flash of movement and looked up. There were some archers perched out of sight somewhere on a hill. And not just any archers. They were the Yu Yan archers! They were the most skilled archers in the Fire Nation. They never missed their target.

I saw a couple of them pull back their arrows and shoot at the Avatar. Before I could warn him, about ten arrows pinned his arm to a tree. He gasped and looked up at the archers. More arrows were shot. He quickly raised his hand and called forth some water and turned it into ice. Many arrows peirced it but none got to him. Another arrow hit, this one stronger, and broke his sheild of ice. Some more arrows shot, pinning down his other arm. He looked up in horror as a net was thrown on him.

The Yu Yan archers dragged him away. But where were they going and why did they want him?

I mentally slapped myself when the answer came to me. They were working for Zhoa! I should have known.

I decided to follow them. I will not let him take what's mine.

I snuck onto the back of a carriage that was going in the same direction as Zhoa's headquarters. I looked in it for a disguise. I opened a box and pulled out its contents. There was a black shirt and a black pair of pants. I looked back into the box and saw mask. It was blue with with horns on the top and short fangs sticking out of the side of its mouth. I quickly put them on. There were also some swords there that I could use.

As the carrigae went through the gates, I hopped off, careful to make sure that no one was looking. As some guys were inspecting the carrage, I hid behind some wooden boxes and and crawled over to a door, going inside.

I could hear Zhoa giving a speech, but I was barely listening. I easily snuck past some guards who were too busy listening to Zhoa.

"I am here to tell you that the Avatar is now my prisoner!" Zhoa declared. A cheer went out through the crowd.

I slung a rope over the side of the wall and slid down. I quickly ran across the empty courtyard and jumped into the sewer.

The sewer led to a hallway. As I walked through it, I ran into a guard.

"Halt!" he yelled.

Without thinking twice, I kicked him in the head an knocked him out. I moved his body against the wall, taking his helmet off and throwing it down the hall where I knew other guards were.

I was right. One of them cautiously walked forward and blindly came towards me. I Firebended at him and tied him to the ceiling.

The other guards came forward, drawn to the noise. I jumped onto the ceiling where they couldn't see me. While they were looking at their companion in confusion, I attacked them.

I ran down the hallway to the remaining soldier. As he was about to blow a horn to warn everyone, I knocked it out of his hand with a knife. He tried to Firebend at me but I easily took him down.

When he was knocked out, I unlocked the door to the Avatar's cell and walked in. The Avatar looked up and gasped in horror. Wow, what a whimp. I decided to put a show on for him. I took my swords out dramatically and swooshed them around. He screamed.

I rolled my eyes and cut off his ropes. He opened his eyes and looked at me suprised. I walked up to him and cut off the chains in his wrists and ankles. I turned to leave, expecting him to follow.

"Who are you?" he asked. "What's going on? Are you here to rescue me? "

I opened the door and beckoned him to follow.

"I'll take that as a yes."

I rolled my eyes, again, and continued forward.

"My frogs!" he suddenly cried. "Come back! And stop thawing out."

I grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him along.

"No!" he shouted. "My friend needs to suck on those frogs!"

I raised an eyebrow but didn't speek, afraid he'll recognize my voice.

We snuck through the unground sewer. Guards were walking above us.

I looked to see if the coast was clear and got out. The kid followed. We quickly got to the rope. I was suprised at how far we had gotten. We were actually going to make it.

I spoke too soon.

We heard an alarm, which meant Zhao had found out that the Avatar escaped.

"There, on the wall!" someone shouted.

_Shit_.

Someone from above cut off the rope and the Avatar fell down. He formed a cloud of air to cushion his landing. I pointed to the door and we ran through it.

"The Avatar has escaped," we heard Zhao yell. "Close all the gate immidiately!"

"Stay close to me," the Avatar said, running ahead. The door was closing and there was a line of guards infront of it.

The Avatar jumped forward and shot a strong wind of air at them, pushing them far away. Some guards came at me. I engaged in a fight with them. The Avatar let the doors close and came to help me. He threw a gust of wind at the soldiers and they too were thrown far away. He then threw some air at me and helped me to the top of the wall. I landed perfectly and got into a fighting stance as more soldiers came.

The Avatar got a hold of me and used a soldier's broken spear to glide off the wall. Spears were shot at us from below. We came crashing down ontop of the watch tower.

Some guards came towards us. I pushed one off the wall and the Avatar knocked them out with wind.

Some guards were coming at us from below with latters. They started climbing up the wall. We blew them off. We used the long latters to get to the last wall. But someone burned one to them. We were almost on the wall but came crashing down. I got out my swords.

The soldiers shot some fire at us. There were too many. The Avatar came in from of me and made a shield of air around us.

"Hold your fire!" Zhao shouted. "The Avatar must be captured alive!"

I brought my swords up and held them against the Avatar's neck. Zhao and I glared at each other, daring the other to speak.

"Open the gate," Zhao finally said.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" someone asked.

"Let them out. Now!"

The gates opened and I backed out with the Avatar. The doors closed, but I still cautiously held the Avatar.

I heard something whiz through the air. Before I could do anything, I felt a pain in my head and blacked out. . .

I woke up to a sunny sky. I was in a forest. I groggily got up and looked around. I saw the Avatar sitting next to a tree. He seemed to be deep in thought.

I groaned.

"You know what the worst part about being born over a hundered years ago is?" he asked without looking at me. "I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always visit my friend, Kuzon. The two of us, we got in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I have ever had. And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you."

I looked at him. What was he getting at?

"If we knew each other back then," he continued, "do you think we could have been friends too?"

He looked at me, smiling hopefully.

Without thinking, I got up and Firebended at him. He jumped into the air and landed ontop of a tree. He jumped from tree to tree, getting farther away.

I looked after him. I wonder if we really could be friends. . .

I walked onto my ship a few hours later.

"Where have you been Prince Zuko?" Uncle asked. He had a Sungi Horn in his lap. "You missed music night! Luitenant Jee sang a stirring love song."

"I'm going to bed," I said over my shoulder. "No disturbances."

Uncle shrugged and went back to playing his Sungi Horn.

Time to apologize to Katara.

Agni, help me.

* * *

><p><strong>Ooh what do you thin will happen? That was pretty long don't you think? I'm sorry for the crappy fighting scenes. I suck at those. Another thing I suck at is romance. You'll see when we get to that.<strong>

**Review please. :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys I'm back. **

**IMPORTANT: I'm frustrated with some of the reviewers. You're all complaining about how abusive Zuko is and how this isn't romantic at all. Well guess what? I KNOW it's not romantic. Every story can't be like a fairytale. There has to be some problems. I like this kind of angsty stuff so that's why I wrote it. All my other stories have abusive stuff too, but everone is fine with that. And one of you went as far as telling me about how men beat their wives. I know that happens! But this is a freakin story. It had nothing to do with real life. I promise it will get better. But if you don't like it, then don't freakin read it. I encourage constructive critisism but this was just so effin annoying!**

**Thank you to all the reviewers who like this story. A lot of you did say that you don't like Zuko being mean, but you didn't go into as much depht as the annoying ppl did. I'm sorry you had to hear my crap. :)**

**This chapter kinda takes place during The Fortuneteller. But I'm gonna change it up a bit. **

**Replies to ananymous reviewers:**

**Dead Tea: **Well apparently, you haven't read many stories. I have read a lot of fanfics on youtube where the guy is abusive but they still fall in love. When you're in love, you don't look at how many horrible things the person has done to you. It's about what you like in a person that makes you love them so much. Wow, and this is coming from someone who's not allowed date. So ya, read on and you'll see what happens.

**ON WITH THE STORY**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA.**

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><p><strong>Normal POV<strong>

Katara sighed as she laid down on her bed. She had healed the burns on her neck but they still hurt. She cursed and silently vowed that she would get back at Zuko for doing that.

Just then, her door opened and Zuko came in.

_Speak of the devil._

"What do you want?" Katara spat.

Zuko was about to retort something, but remembered why he was here. "Can I sit down?"

Katara shut her mouth in surprise. She didn't expect him to actually be polite. She gave him a small nod.

He came and sat down next to her on her bed. "I wanted to apologize for what I did to you yesterday."

Katara raised and eyebrow.

"I thought over what I did and felt bad. I really never wanted to hurt you like that. I don't know what came over me. But I really hope that you can forgive and we can be friends." He smiled at her hopefully.

"Wait a minute," Katara said. "You want to be friends with me while you use me as bait for capturing the Avatar, who is the only person that can bring peace to the world?"

"Well. . . Anything sounds bad when you put it that way."

"Oh? And how would you out it?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"Um. . . I don't know." He smiled sheepishly. "But I really am sorry."

Katara sighed. "Fine. I forgive you."

"Really?"

Katara nodded.

They stood there in an awkward silence.

"So are we going to stop anywhere today?" Katara asked. "I'm sick of being out at sea."

"We're going to stop at this village to get some supplies," Zuko said. "Wanna come?"

"It's better than being stuck in this room all day. And I'm getting bored of playing Pai Sho. You're uncle always wins."

She pouted causing Zuko to chuckle.

A while later they had docked the ship and were going through a village. They wore some different clothes so the people won't be scared that people from the Fire Nation were there. Zuko wore a hood to cover his scar.

"This is a really nice village," Katara commented.

Zuko grunted. "Sorry to disappoint you, but we have to leave and get out of here as fast as we can."

Katara sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Oh Meng!" she heard a woman cry. She turned around to see a girl who looked to be a little older than her run up to another girl, who looked like her younger sister. "Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love! He's going to give me a rare Panda Lily."

"That's so romantic!" Meng said. Zuko made a barf face.

"Aunt Wu?" Katara asked, ignoring Zuko.

"She's the fortuneteller from our village," the woman said. She sighed dreamily. "It's really nice knowing your future."

"Yeah it must be," Katara said. "Maybe we should see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun, won't it Zuko?"

"Fortunetelling is just a bunch of nonsense," Zuko said. "We're not gonna waste out time here."

"Aww, come on Zuko. Try to have some fun once in a while."

"She's right, Prince Zuko," Iroh said. "The ship needs repairing from the storm anyways. We'll stay here for the night. Might as well entertain yourself."

"Fine."

Katara grabbed Zuko's arm and led him to where Meng had directed her. Outside the door was a man in black robes.

"Aunt Wu is expecting you," he said opening the door for them.

"Really?" Katara asked walking in. Zuko sighed and followed.

They were led inside to a small room. They sat on some cushions laid out for them.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Zuko said.

"Try to keep an open mind, Zuko," Katara said. "There are things in this world that simply can't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight on your future?"

Zuko growled and looked away.

"Welcome, young travelers," a woman in a yellow gown said. "I am Aunt Wu. Now, who's next?"

Katara looked at Zuko who hadn't looked up yet. "I guess that's me."

She stood up and Aunt Wu led her into a room. They sat down on the soft ground.

"Let me see your hand, child," Aunt Wu said. "Whichever one you want."

Katara gave her her right hand,

"You're hand is very soft," Aunt Wu said. "Do you use moisturizer?"

"Actually, I have this special seaweed lotion," Katara said. "I can give you some if you like."

Aunt Wu smiled and look at her palm.

"So, do you see anything interesting in my love line?" Katara asked.

"You want to know about your future love?" Aunt Wu asked.

Katara nodded, blushing.

Aunt Wu chuckled. "Most girls your age do. And some boys, though they do not want to admit it. Let me see."

She looked at her palm. "I see a great romance for you. The man you're going to marry."

"Tell me more!" Katara said eagerly.

"I can see that he's a _very_ powerful bender. Though I can't tell what element he bends."

"Wow," Katara said. "I wonder what he'll be like. Is he handsome? I hope he's tall!"

"I can not tell. But I _can _tell you that he will someone that you will least expect."

"Thank you, Aunt Wu. You have given me much to think about."

"No problem, sweetie. You can come back anytime."

Aunt Wu escorted her back to the room Zuko was in. "Alright who's next?"

Zuko sighed and got up. "Let's get this over with."

He followed Aunt Wu to the room.

"What would you like me to tell you?" Aunt Wu asked.

Zuko shrugged. "Anything, I guess."

Aunt Wu nodded and led him over to a bowl of bones. "This is the most reliable method of telling your fortune. The bones never lie. Go on, pick one."

Zuko tentatively picked one up. He was too afraid to ask where they came from.

He and Aunt Wu sat down on the cushions.

"Now, throw it in the fire," Aunt Wu said.

Zuko did as she said.

"The heat makes cracks in the bones," Aunt Wu explained. "And I read the bone cracks to tell your destiny."

The fire grew and made cracks in the bone, just like Aunt Wu said.

"Well?" Zuko asked imaptiently.

"I've never seen anything like it," Aunt Wu said in wonder. "You will soon come to the crossroads of your destiny, where you will have to chose between two paths. Only through the right path, will you live in happiness. But chose the wrong path, and you will destroy everything."

Zuko nodded, not really interested.

"'Kay cool," he said, yawning. "Anything else?"

"There's also a girl."

Zuko raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested. Aunt Wu smirked, knowing she had caught his attention.

"Who is she?" he asked.

Aunt Wu looked closely at the bone. "She will be someone of great importance. You will have many conflicts with her, but in the end, she will be your greatest ally."

* * *

><p>"What's with the sky?" Katara asked later that day.<p>

Everyone was gathered at the town square and were looking at the sky.

"We're waiting for Aunt Wu to come and read the sky to predict the faith of the whole village," a man said.

"The cloud reading will tell us if Mount Makuki will remain dormant for another year, or if it will erupt," a woman said.

"We used to have a tradition once a year to go up to the mountain and check the volcanoes ourselves," the man said. "But ever since Aunt Wu moved to village twenty years ago, we have a tradition of not doing that."

"How can you trust your lives to that crazy old woman's superstitions!" Zuko exclaimed.

"Shh, she's coming," Katara said. Zuko rolled his eyes.

Everyone cheered as Aunt Wu passed them and went to the podium at the front. Zuko crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Oh lighten up," Katara said.

"How can I lighten up? We could be on sea, completeing my mission, but instead, we're here, listening to some lady trying to tell the future!"

"Hey, I'm just glad to be having some fun while I'm a prisoner. That offer doesn't come around much."

"How is this fun?"

Katara shrugged. "It's just nice to know what's in store for you. And by the looks of it, I have a great future ahead of me."

She smiled to herself. Zuko raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Aunt Wu looked at the sky and made some pridictions, like how it was going to be a good year for harvest and for twins. As she read another cloud, she exclaimed, "This village will not be destroyed by the volcanoe this year!"

Everyone, except for Zuko, cheered.

A little while later, Katara, Zuko, and Iroh were sitting outside of their Inn.

"Oh, a Panda Lily!" They heard someone exclaim. They looked up to see a couple embracing.

"That was very nice of him," Iroh said. Katara and Zuko rolled their eyes. "What a beautiful flower! I wonder where you can get one."

"I heard from someone that you can get it from on top of the volcano," Katara said. "I could get you one if you like."

"Really? That would be great. Zuko, why don't you go with her."

"Why?" Zuko asked. "I'm sure she's capable of doing it all by herself."

"Oh, come on, Zuko. It'll be fun!" Before he could protest, Katara grabbed his arm and pulled him up.

Iroh looked at them with a smirk. He had a gleam in his eye that he only got when he was scheming something. Zuko raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything, Katara dragged him away.

Zuko sighed as they climbed up the moutain. "I can't believe we're doing this."

"Come on," Katara said. "Try to do something nice for your uncle for once. He already does so much for you."

Zuko growled something and followed her.

"Here they are!" Katara said once they reached the top. I bent down and picked up a few of the flowers. Before straightening, she glanced at the volcano and gasped.

"What?" Zuko asked, coming to stand next to her. His eyes widened at what he saw.

"Aunt Wu was wrong," Katara said.

The volcano was full of rising lava. They knew that soon, it was going to erupt.

"I knew it!" Zuko said as they made their way back to the village. "I knew they shouldn't trust that old woman! Now their town is going to be destroyed."

"Zuko, we need to help them," Katara said.

"Why? What do I care about this stupid town?"

"Zuko, innocent people are going to die. We have to do something!"

Zuko shrugged and looked away. Katara became angry.

"I can't believe you! Innocent people are going to die, and you won't do anything about it. But then again, what did I expect from you? The Fire Nation has been killing innocent people for a hundered years. Why should you be any different?"

Zuko growled angrily. "Fine we'll help them. But don't ever talk about the Fire Nation like that ever again!"

"Whatever," Katara said.

Zuko sighed. "How the hell are we going to convince these people anyways? They all believe what Aunt Wu says. Unless we can convince Aunt Wu otherwise, they won't budge."

Katara frowned as she thought about what they could do. "Hmm, maybe if I could change the clouds, then they'll believe it."

Zuko nodded.

They told Iroh about the plan and he agreed. Zuko stole Aunt Wu's book and gave it to Katara. Katara flew up in one of the Fire Nation's airships, but made sure to tell them to hide in the clouds so they wouldn't startle the villagers. She climbed ontop of the roof and bended the clouds so they looked like a skull.

"Aunt Wu, look at the sky!" Zuko pointed.

Aunt Wu looked up and gasped. "Oh my!"

Katara ran towards them. "We can still save the village. We need to make a a deep trench to cannel all the lava towards the river so it won't destroy the village. If any of you are Earthbenders, come with me."

"The rest of you grab a shovel and come with me," Zuko said. They heard a loud boom and the ground shook. "Let's go!"

They set to work. The Earthbenders moved the rock to form a trench. Katara Waterbended some water from the river to erode some of the rock away. Many of the villagers dug as if their lives depeneded on it. Well, it sort of did.

A few minutes later, they heard another boom and looked towards the volcano to see some lava flowing down.

"Come on, dig faster!" Iroh shouted.

Some of the Earthbenders removed the rest of the rocks that were seperating the trench from the river.

"Everyone evacuvate!" Katara shouted. "We'll come for you when it's safe."

Everyone started filing out. Katara, Zuko, and Iroh retreated to a safe distance and watched the volcano erupt.

Lava flowed down the valley and into the trench. There was too much.

"It's gonna overflow!" Katara exclaimed.

Katara and Iroh ran back. Zuko looked at the lava. He could just leave now and be safe, leaving the village to it's faith. Then he remembered what Katara had said about the Fire Nation.

He took a deep breath and summoned all the strenght he had. With a grunt he brought his hands up and stopped the lava. Iroh realized what he was doing and rushed forward to help him.

Together, they moved the lava into the river. Then they moved the lava back up to the volcano and made sure it won't erupt again. What seemed like hours later, they returned to the village, exhausted and out of breath. They were rewarded by cheers.

"Wow, that kids a pretty strong bender," someone said.

"Wait, what?" Katara asked.

"Nothing. I just said he's a powerful bender."

Katara's eyes widened. "Yeah, I guess."

It can't be him, it has to be someone else, Katara thought.

Zuko and Iroh came to stand by Katara.

"Wait," Someone said. "They're from the Fire Nation!"

There were some angry grumbling from the villagers as they walked towards them.

"Wait!" Katara shouted. "They just saved your lives. You should be thanking them! I know the Fire Nation has done some terrible things, but that doesn't mean they're all monsters."

Zuko looked at Katara with a look of grattitude.

The villagers grumbled but nodded. They thanked them once more before parting.

"We kinda stole this," Zuko said sheepishly, handing Aunt Wu her book.

"So you played with the clouds, eh?" Aunt Wu said. Zuko looked down, embarassed. Aunt Wu laughed. "Very clever."

Since the ship had been repaired, it was time for them to head back.

"What a day," Iroh said once they were back on the ship. He yawned. "I'm going to bed. I suggest you do the same."

Zuko and Katara walked to their rooms together. It was silent the whole way. They stopped by their doors, both of them wanting to say something, but didn't know what. It was Katara who broke the silence first.

"It was brave of you to stop the volcano."

Zuko shrugged. "It's like you said, I couldn't let innocent people get hurt if I could help it. Just don't get used to it."

Katara rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Er. . . Thanks for speaking out for me," Zuko said.

"Like you said, don't get used to it," Katara mocked him.

Zuko chuckled.

They stood there for a while. The silence soon got awkward. Zuko cleared his throat. "I have something for you."

Katara raised an eyebrow. Zuko reached into his pocket and pulled out her mother's necklace. Katara gasped.

"I thought since I don't have any use for it, I should give it back," Zuko said with a cocky smile.

"Thank you," Katara said. She took the necklace and placed it around her neck.

Zuko smiled. "You're welcome."

Katara stared into his golden eyes.

Zuko realized that he was leaning in a little. Before anything could happen, he straightened up and cleared his throat again. "Well. . . Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Katara said, slightly disappointed.

She walked into her room and closed the door. She leaned against it and sighed.

For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. And she actually wanted him to.

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><p><strong>Aww so Zuko and Katara are getting along. . . For now. ;)<strong>

**What did you think. Please review. I welcome constructive critizism, but don't be mean. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back! DON'T SHOOT! I am so so so sorry. I know I haven't updated in like months! I really hope this makes up. :)**

**Right now, I'm gonna start off with Aang and Sokka since they haven't really been here. But it'll switch over to Zuko and Katara soon! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA. . .**

**This is going to take place kinda during the Waterbending Master.**

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

"Aang, calm down!" Sokka shouted, trying to tame his worried friend. "I'm sure she's alright. Katara is a strong girl. She can go through anything without getting hurt."

"I know that!" Aang shouted. "I'm just worried that Zuko might do something to her. This is all my fault! I shouldn't have left her there."

"Aang, this is my fault too. But there's really nothing we can do right now. All we can do is wait. If we go after her, then we will surely fall under Zuko's trap."

Aang was getting frustrated now. He clenched his fists at his side and stopped his pacing to turn and face Sokka. "How is this so easy for you? You're sister has been captured by a crazy, brutal prince, and you're saying we should wait."

"Of course this isn't easy for me. This is my sister we're talking about! There's nothing more I want to do right now than to run to her and kill whoever tried to hurt her. But that's just what Zuko wants. He knows we'll come back for her, then he'll capture you, and all hope for the world will be lost. All we can do right now is wait, go on to the Northern Water Tribe to get you trained in Waterbending, and let Katara be the strong girl she is."

Aang sighted and slumped down on Appa. "I hope you're right."

"I know I am."

Actually Sokka was just as worried as Aang, maybe even more so. His baby sister was being held captive on a ship full of men. Fire Nation men. Who knows what they will do to her. Just thinking about all the posibilities made him shudder.

All that stuff he said was just to reasure himself and to get Aang to calm down. He knew his sister was strong, he had learned that after their mother died. But that didn't stop him from worring about her.

"Oh, Katara. Where are you?" he whispered before he leaned against Appa fell asleep.

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><p>Katara sighed, bored. She had been in her room the whole day. Zuko, Iroh, and some of the crew members had gone to shore to search for information about the Avatar. Now that she thought about it, she should have gone with them. It was so boring here. She had tried to make small talk with the guards outside her door, but they always stayed quiet. They didn't even give a sign that they knew she was there.<p>

She fingered her mother's necklace which was now securely tied around her neck. Zuko had been so nice to give it back to her.

Zuko.

As the days went by, she found that she was growing more attached to him. He came and visited her room everyday, and he let her have dinner with him and his Uncle. He also let her practice her Waterbending. She has gotten a lot better, since she was using the Waterbending Scroll as a guide, but she still messed up quite a few times. She was very concious of Zuko watching her while she practiced, and was embarrased and angry when he laughed whenever she messed up.

In returned, she watched him whenever he trained, and also laughed when he messed up. He was pretty good but he wasn't a true master yet.

As she watched him, she had to try hard not to stare. And it was very hard with him having his shirt off. Once she was staring at him without knowing it, until he caught her eye and smirked.

Katara shook her head. She wasn't suppose to be thinking stuff like this. This was her sworn enemy. He was the Fire Nation Prince. All he wants was is to take away the world's last hope for peace. But a little part of Katara's mind told her that there was some good in him.

Katara sat up as there was a knock on the door and Zuko came in. "Any luck?" she asked.

"Nope." He sat down next to her. "You know it would be much easier if you helped."

Katara shrugged and pinched his cheeks. "Poor you."

Zuko wacked her hand away and poked her stomache. Katara squealed.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "You're tickleish?"

"No. . ." Katara inched away, covering her stomache.

Zuko poked her again and she started laughing. "Yup, not at all." Zuko smirked.

"Zuko stop!"

He shook his head and kept tickleing her. She would have died laughing if there wasn't a knock on the door.

"Come in," Zuko called, still holding Katara.

The door opened and Iroh stepped in. "I heard some yelling so I came in to see if everything was alright," he said.

"Everything's fine Uncle," Zuko said. Katara punched his stomache which caused him to yelp and pull away.

Iroh chuckled. "Well, that's good to know. I also wanted to remind you that it's music night. You both should come."

Zuko groaned. "Uncle, I already told you that I don't want to take part in such nonsense."

"Oh come on Zuko," Katara said. "It would be fun. It's better than being cooped up in your room the whole day."

"I said no."

Iroh sighed. "Very well. But you will be joining me, won't you Miss Katara?"

"Of course!"

Iroh smiled and left the room. Katara turned to Zuko.

"You scream like a girl."

Zuko pouted. "Do not."

Katara giggled. "Come on, why don't you want to go to music night? We have things like these all the time at the South Pole. They're really fun!"

"I have more important things to attend to. Like regaining my father's love."

With that, he stood up and left the room. Katara sighed and slumped back onto the bed, alone once more.

* * *

><p>Later that day, after dinner, Zuko went back into his room while Katara went onto the deck. Almost the whole crew was there. Iroh had brought out his Sungi Horn and another crew member had a string instrument that Katara has never seen before.<p>

Some of the crew members sang while Katara laughed and danced with the rest of them. She sat down as Iroh started to sing.

He sang about the seasons and something about love. Katara was mesmorized my his voice. She smiled and swayed slightly to the music. When it was over, she clapped and politely excused herself. She went belowdeck to check up on Zuko. She knocked on his door and entered his room.

He was sitting at his desk, holding what seemed to be a picture. As Katara got closer, she saw that it was of the most beautiful Fire Nation girl she has ever seen. Judging my her clothes, she must have been a royal. Katara raised an eyebrow but didn't question.

"Hey, we're having lots of fun up there. You should join us."

"I'm not in the mood," Zuko mumbled, never taking his eyes off of the picture.

Katara came over and sat down next to him. "Are you ok?" she asked.

"I'm fine."

But she could see the pain in his eyes. She layed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Zuko was silent for a while. He opened his mouth to say something when Iroh came through the door.

Zuko sighed. "Uncle I told you, I don't want to play the Sungi Horn."

"It's not that," Iroh said. "It seems that our plan will have to be delayed for now."

Zuko looked up and raised an eyebrow but scowled when none other that Admiral Zhao came through the door.

"What do you want Zhao?" Zuko sneered.

Zhao clicked his tounge. "That's no way to greet you guest."

"I said what do you want?" Zuko said slightly louder, ignoring his statement.

"I have some matters I would like to discuss with you."

Zuko reluctantly nodded. "Katara, go to your room," he said, turning towards her.

Katara nodded and slowly got up.

"Katara is it?" Zhao asked. "Sound like a Water Tribe name. May I ask how you came across our dear _prince_?"

"She's my slave," Zuko said before Katara could open her mouth. "Why do you care where she's from?"

"Oh it's nothing," Zhoa said. "It's just that, Water Tribe women are just so. . . _exotic_."

Katara hugged herself as she made her way to the door. She was very uncomfertable under Zhao's searching eyes. Zuko didn't like the way he was looking at her either.

Once she left the room, he turned to Zhao. "What do you want," he asked for the thrid time.

"I'm taking your crew," Zhao said casually.

"What?" Zuko exclaimed, standing up.

"I've recruited them for a little expadition to the North Pole. There has been talk that that is the Avatar's next location."

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko turned to Iroh.

"I'm afraid so." The old man looked down.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Nephew. But I didn't know until now. He's taking everyone. Even the cook!"

"So you will be there to watch me capture the Avatar," Zhao said. "But I can't have you coming in my way again."

Zuko scowled and ran forward to punch Zhoa but Iroh held him back. Zhoa casually went over to one of the walls in Zuko's room and examined the two swords there. As he looked closer, he saw that they looked oldly familiar. . .

Zuko's eyes filled with worry as he picked one up. "I didn't know you were skilled with swords, Prince Zuko."

"I'm not," Zuko said, praying to the Spirits that his voice wasn't shaking. "Those are just for decoration."

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao asked without turning around.

"Those are just rumors," Iroh said matter-of-factly. "I don't think he is real."

"Oh he's real alright," Zhao said. "He's a criminal; an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon. . ." He walked towards the door. "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind." With that, he left.

Zuko sighed and sat down. Iroh came over to him and layed a hand on his shouler. "Are you alright, my Nephew?"

"I'll be fine," he whispered, not looking at him.

Iroh nodded and left his room.

After a while, Zuko sighed and got up. Went over to Katara's room and knocked before entering.

Katara gave him a small smile when he entered. "So Monkeyface over there was Admiral Zhao?"

Zuko gave a small smile at the nickname but it soon vanished. "Yeah."

Katara frowned. "Is everything alright? What did he want to talk about?"

Zuko sighed and told her what had hppened.

"Oh," was all Katara could say when he was done. "So, what are you going to do."

Zuko shrugged. "I don't know. I just wanted to see you before I go to bed."

Katara smiled at him as he got up and left.

* * *

><p>Before Admiral Zhao left the shore, he made sure that he had a meeting with certain pirates.<p>

"I'm very impressed," he said. "You all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind." He sat back in his chair and smirked as the pirated took the chest of gold and looked at it.

"What do you need us to do?" One of them asked. Zhao guessed that was the leader since he had a green Reptile Bird on his shoulder.

"I believe you are aquanted with Prince Zuko." His smirked widened as the pirates scowled at the name.

* * *

><p>Zuko was laying on his bed, his usual frown deeper.<p>

He turned his head as Iroh entered his room. "The crew wanted to wish you safe travels."

"Good ridence to those traitors!"

"It's a lovely day for a walk, why don't you join me? It would clear your head." Zuko continued glaring at him. Iroh frowned. "Or stay in your room, in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." He sighed and smiled when Katara entered the room. "Oh hello, Miss Katara. Would you like to jon me on a walk?"

Katara smiled and looked at Zuko. "No thank you. I think I'll stay with Zuko, make sure he doesn't hurt himself," she said jokingly.

Iroh smiled and walked out.

Katara went over to Zuko and jumped onto his bed.

"What are you doing?" he exclaimed.

"Trying to get you to lighten up." Zuko groaned. "Oh come on. You don't think this is hard for me? My brother and my best friend are only a few hours away from me. I could escape if I wanted to, but here trying to get you to cheer up."

"And I would stop from escaping if you tired." Zuko smirked.

"Ha, yeah right." She stuck his tounge out at him. Zuko chuckled.

But he was silenced when he heard the sound of a door opening. "Did you hear that?" he asked.

"I'm sure it was just your Uncle," Katara reassured him.

"Uncle wouldn't be back this soon." He narrowed his eyes and stepped out of his room.

"Zuko?" Katara didn't want to be left on the big ship all alone, so she decided to follow him.

They walked into the controll room but didn't see anything.

"Zuko, I'm sure it's nothing," Katara said.

"Yeah I guess your right. . ."

They were about to walk back to his room when they heard a squack. They both turned around, automatically getting into fighting stances. What they found was a big Reptile Bird sitting on the railing. They both reconized it instantly.

"_Shit_," was all Zuko could say before the ship exploded.

* * *

><p><strong>GASP! What's gonna happen next? haha.<strong>

**I really hope u guys liked it. Again, I am terribly sorry about not updating sooner. I'm gonna start working on the next ch as soon as I get this one up. I'm gonna be busy today, but I'll try my best. If I get more than five reveiws, I'll update it by tomorrow. :)**

**Follow me on Twitter. I'm BareerahTheGirl. Be sure to tell me who u r so I can follow u back. :)**

**Please review! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys. I didn't really get 5 reviews but that ok. Here's the next chapter. Hope u enjoy! :)**

**Oh and I just saw a comercial for Legend of Korra on Nick. My little ten year old sister and I were FREAKING OUT! I think my parents think I'm a bad influence. . . :D**

**Replies to annanoymous reveiwers:**

**Dead Tea: **Alright, you CLEARLY don't get what I mean. This is a FUCKING STORY! Anything can happen. No, I do NOT think that abuse is ok in real life. I do NOT think abuse leads to love. There is nothing to love about it. But again, this is a story so anything can happen in it. If u don't like it, don't read it.

**mytotallywickedawesomepenname: **Haha thank u so much! I was thinking about useig ur idea, but then I thought that it would be cliche since everyone does it. I want to do something different. The romance will gradually come, but it will take some time for them to realize that they r perfect for each other. :)

**patty cake rocks: **Thank u! :)

**Savvy: **Thank you so much! This really made my day after I read a sour review. I will definately continue! :)

**Thank you guys so much for reviewing. But I really hope that ur not offened my all the violence. I also hope u know that I do NOT think that abuse is ok in real life. But this is a story so anything can happen. Thank you to those of you who understand. :)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned ATLA, Katara and Zuko would have been together. *sigh***

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

In those few seconds, the only thing on Zuko's mind was that Katara was going to get hurt. As one side of the ship exploded, Zuko grabbed Katara by the waist and quickly ran outside. They got to the front of the ship and stopped. The inside burst into flames.

"We have to jump," Katara exclaimed.

"What?"

"Come on, I'm a waterbender. I'll keep us safe."

Before Zuko could protest any more, Katara grabbed his hand jumped off of the side. Zuko held his breath and braced himself.

As they hit the water, Katara formed an air bubble around them. She looked over at Zuko and let out her breath. "You can breathe now."

This startled Zuko, and he cautiously let out his breath.

Katara had to hold up the air bubble, so Zuko wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her onto the shore. They came up coughing.

Katara didn't have much time to catch her breath before Zuko grabbed her wrist and ran into the forest. They were running for what felt like hours before Zuko stopped. They both fell to the floor, gasping for air.

"What happend?" Katara panted.

"Pirates," Zuko answered. "Most likely sent by Zhao."

"Why would Zhao do that?"

"To make sure I wouldn't stand in the way of him and the Avatar." Zuko knew it was more than that, but he decided to keep quiet about that.

Katara sighed. "So what are we going to do?"

"I guess we should just stay here and lay low until we figure out what to do."

Katara let out an annoyed breath and sat down on a big rock. "Then can you at least go and get some fish?"

"No."

"But I'm hungry!"

"The pirates are probably still there. We should stay as far away from the coast as possible."

"Ugh, fine!"

Katara got up and went over to a tree. Looking up at it, she grabbed one of the branches and pulled herself up.

"What are you doing?" Zuko looked at her as if she were crazy.

"Climbing a tree. There has to be some coconut here." She pulled herself higher.

Zuko looked at her with amusement. "You're going to fall."

"No I'm not."

Katara went up higher until she finally found some coconut. She threw some down, missing Zuko's head by inches.

Zuko yelped. "Hey, watch it!"

Katara laughed. "There you go with the girly scream again."

"I do not have a girly scream."

Katara threw another coconut down. Zuko yelped again and dodged it at the very last moment. Zuko face blushed furiously as he heard Katara laugh. He stepped far away from the tree as Katara threw one more coconut down. When the last one was down, she slowly started to decent from the tree. On the second to last branch, her foot slipped and she lost her balance. She screamed and would have hit the ground if Zuko hadn't caught her. Zuko looked at her and smirked.

"Told you, you would fall."

Katara tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. She hated it when her father or brother would carry her. It wasn't any different this time. "Please put me down."

Zuko dropped her down but caught her again. She shreiked, causing him to laugh.

Katara hit his chest. "That's not funny!"

"Yes it is." But put her down gently anyways.

Katara pick up one of the coconuts and brushed off the sand.

"How are we going to open that?" Zuko asked.

"Hm, we could bang it on your head!" Zuko pouted, making Katara laugh.

Zuko smiled a little at the sound and found himself wanting to make her laugh even more. He shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about this. His main concern right now should be figuring out how to get to the Avatar before Zhao does. He shouldn't care how beautiful this Waterbender look whenever she smiled, or laughed, or breathed. . .

But there was just something about her that kept Zuko attracted to her.

Katara caught his smile and raised an eyebrow. Zuko never smiled. "What?"

"Huh?" Zuko snapped out of his thoughts.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

Zuko turned his head away, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. "I never smile."

Katara frowned. "Well you should. Frowning doesn't really suit you."

Zuko looked down. "There's really nothing to smile about these days."

Katara's frown deepened. Though she agreed with him about this, she still wanted to see him smile again. "I'm sure that's not it. Isn't there someone back home you look forward to seeing again."

Zuko thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No. My father always hated me. No matter how hard I worked for his love, he never accepted me. My little sister Azula was always his favorite. She always had to be better than me at everything. She was the one that had all of my father's love. She was the prodigy. I was the faliure."

"Oh." Katara looked down. This was the most he has ever opened up to her. "What about your mother?"

Zuko tensed at the mention of his mother. Katara saw how much it pained him, no matter what mask he had put up at the moment.

"I'm sorry," she said. "You don't have to tell me."

"It's fine. It's nice talking to someone, besides my uncle, who'll actually listen." He gave her a small smile and she smiled back, taking his hands in her and giving them an encouraging squeeze. Zuko took a deep breath and smiled. "She was actually the only person I looked to. But one day, she suddenly left without a trace. I demanded father to tell me where she went, but he wouldn't tell me anything. I'm not even sure if she's still alive. Everything just went downhill from there." He tenderly touched his scar.

"Oh Zuko!" Katara whispered. She threw her arms around him. Zuko tensed and awkwardly hugged her back. Katara pulled back and gave him a small smile. "I guess we both lost something we love to the Fire Nation."

Zuko raised an eyebrow but didn't question her.

Katara cracked open the coconut on a rock - not on Zuko's head, though she implied it again to get him to lighten up - and gave one half to Zuko. Zuko looked at it with disgust, he hated coconut. But he ate it anyways since there was nothing else to eat.

Katara decided to have another coconut. Zuko passed and sat down against a tree. He took out a picture from his robes and gently traced his fingers on it. Katara sat down next to him and looked at the picture. It was the same one she saw the other night.

"Is that your mother?" Katara asked.

"Yeah." Zuko tried to keep his voice from cracking. He always had that picture with him. He was glad he did or it would have been burnt on the explosion. "She meant everything to me. She still does. I always looked to her whenever my father tried hurt me." He touched his scar again.

Katara looked at him. "Maybe I can heal that for you."

"What?"

"I'm a Waterbender. I have healing abilities. Maybe you'll never have to see that scar again."

Zuko looked away. "It's fine."

Katara slowly raised a hand up and layed it on his scar. Zuko flinched away, surprised. He gently moved her hand away.

Katara frowned. She looked back down at the picture. "Your mother is very beautiful."

Zuko smiled. "Yeah, I know."

Katara smiled and leaned into him. "There's that smile again."

Zuko sighed and without knowing it, he rested his head on Katara's.

Katara yawned, her eyes drooping. Zuko looked at her with amusment. "You sleepy."

Katara nodded and snuggled closer to him. He wrapped an arm around her. Katara raised an eyebrow but was too tired to care. She closer her eyes and was asleep in a few seconds.

Zuko buried his face in her hair. He didn't know why he was being so close to her. She was just his advantage to get to the Avatar. But there was just something about her that he loved. She was willing to listen to his story. She was probably the first person to not feel pity for him. She actually cared.

Zuko shook his head. He knew he shouldn't be thinking this, but she just felt so right in his arms that he didn't care at the moment.

He layed down on the ground. Katara shivered so he pulled her closer to him. He closed his golden eyes and soon he too was asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>There you go. Sorry it's so short, but I seriously don't know what to write. And my parents are yelling at me to get off the computer.<strong>

**So you guys wanted some romance so there you go. I know it's not much, but it's something. :)**

**The actual romance will come later on but here's something for u.**

**Plz review. I encourage constructive critisism but plz be nice.**

**Follow me on Twitter. I'm BareerahTheGirl.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's the next chapter! Thank u so much for reviewing! Hope u enjoy it.**

**Oh and like a few weeks ago, I found out that Legend of Korra is coming out on April 14th. SO EXCITED!**

**Replies to annanoymous reviewers:**

**anon: **Aww thank u so much! This really means a lot to me. It made me so happy after I read that not many people like stories like this. I love this kind of stuff so I thought I'd try it out. Thank u!

**missycole23: **Thank you! Hope u enjoy this.

**jay: **Thank u! And I also think that Zuko would look weird without his scar. This scar is what makes him look so sexy! ;)

**Again, thank you for all the reviews. Keep em coming!**

**Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA, cuz if I did, Zuko and Katara would be together and the rating would probably be M. . .**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8<p>

Katara woke up the next morning and felt something warm around her. She sleepily rubbed her eyes. She dismissed the warm feeling and tried to go back to sleep.

Her eyes shot open as she felt something tighten around her. She looked down and saw a pair of arms around her. She slowly turned to see a sleeping Zuko, his hair in his face and his face buried between her shoulder and her neck.

Katara giggled. He looked so cute! Much better than when he was awake. When he was awake, he almost always had a frown on his face. He rarely ever smiled. Right now, he looked peaceful. He looked like a normal teenage boy whose life wasn't fucked up by his crazy father and all his grandfathers before him.

As she looked at him, Katara found herself wondering what it would be like if there wasn't a war. Would they actually be friends? Would they even know each other?

Probably. He's the Fire Prince and her father is the Cheif of the Southern Water Tribe, so that made her a princess. They would probably know each other because of trading and all that other political crap.

But if there wasn't a war, she would never have met Aang. She wouldn't be traveling the world.

Katara sighed. _I guess Destiny likes messing with our lives._

Katara froze as she felt Zuko move. She watched him with amusement as he opened his eyes. She had to keep herself from giggling as he looked at her with confusion. Then he seemed to remember where they were.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," Katara replied. She looked down. "Um. . . Zuko?"

"Yeah?" He looked down and saw his arms around her. He quickly drew them away with an adorable blush on his face. "Sorry."

"It's fine." Katara smiled. "You're really warm."

Zuko shrugged. "Well, I am a Firebender. It would be very bad if I wasn't."

Katara got up and went to one of the coconuts she sat on the ground. She rolled her eyes when Zuko made a face. "Come on. We don't have anything else."

Zuko hesitated, but took it anyways. After they ate, they just sat there in a slightly awkward silence.

"So," Katara said. "What are we going to do now?"

Zuko shrugged. "I really don't know. Zhoa is probably heading to the Northern Water Tribe by now. Maybe he already attacked it."

"I don't think he did," Katara said. Zuko raised an eyebrow. "There's a full moon coming up. Zhoa should be smart enough to know that Waterbenders at the their most powerful during a full moon. He would wait until it's over."

Zuko nodded and shuddered. He hated full moons. Water was his natural opposite, as the moon was to the sun. He always felt sick during full moons. His inner fire was weak. He remembered how his mother used to hold him during a full moon.

"So maybe I can cut him off and get to the Avatar before he does," Zuko said.

Katara shrugged and looked down, slightly angry. He was talking about capturing Aang like she wasn't even there. Apparently, Zuko caught this.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," Katara said. "I'm just sitting here while you talk about capturing my best friend, who also, by the way, happens to be the world's last hope for peace." She rolled her eyes.

Zuko frowned. He too was getting angry. "Katara, I have to capture him."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do!" Zuko was raising his voice by now. "You don't know what I'm going through."

"Yes I do." Katara was raising her voice as well.

"No, you don't! I have to do this. I need to regain my honor and most of all, my father's love."

"Zuko," Katara said a little softer. "Do you really think your father will accept you back."

"He will. I'm going to bring the Avatar back to him. He has to take me back." But Katara could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

Katara sighed, frustrated. "Fine. Whatever. If you're set on that crazy idea, who am I to hold you back?"

With that, she got up and started walking into the forrest. Zuko just sat there and blinked. After a few seconds, his mind processed what had just happened. He quickly shot up and ran after Katara, catching her by the arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.

"I'm trying to get a head start so I can try and stop you," Katara said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, and what makes you think I'm going to let you go that easily?"

Katara shrugged and tried to yank her arm away. Zuko tightened his grip around her. "Zuko, let me go."

"No. Look, Katara. If you help me capture the Avatar, I'll let you go."

_Or not_, he thought with a smirk. _Maybe I'll keep you for myself once the Fire Nation is victorious._

Zuko shook his head. He had to admitt, the month that this beautiful Waterbender had been on his ship, he had a growing affection for her. And he knew that she was starting to feel the same way for him, even if it was only a little bit. But he would never do something like that for her.

Maybe if there was any way, he would take her back to the Fire Nation. They could be together there. Since her father was the Cheif of the Southern Water Tribe, he could give her to him as an alliance. But she would never forgive him. But she'll grow to love him. She'll have to. . .

Zuko was shaken out of his daydreams as he heard Katara speak.

"Hmm, let's see," she said. "Me being free, but the whole world will end, which means I really won't be free? No thanks."

She tried to yank her arm back again. Zuko growled and pulled her closer. "Don't try to play with me. I'm much more superior than you right now."

Katara scoffed. "I'd like to see you lift a hand against me."

If this was a few weeks ago, Katara knew that he would have. But since then, Zuko had learned to controll his temper around her. Zuko sighed and pushed her away from him.

"Even if you tried to run away," he said, "you wouldn't last five minutes in this jungle."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Zuko grabbed her shoulders and violently shook her. "What's wrong with you?"

"Me? Oh nothing. Just trying to escape a crazy prince who thinks his equally crazy father is going to take him back."

Zuko looked down. "He has to take me back."

"Zuko, if your father is anything like people have told me, he's not going to take you back. You need to understand me. Why don't you join me, my brother, and Aang? Aang needs a Firebending teacher anyways, right after he masters Waterbending."

Zuko considered it for a moment. It did seem like a good deal. And Katara, was probably right. His father probably wouldn't take him back. He was going to accept her offer. But his pride got the best of him.

Zuko shook his head and smirked. "That's great, but no. Maybe when the Fire Nation wins this war, you'll understand. I might even spare your life."

"Ugh!" Katara finally pulled herself free from his grip. "You're such a. . . Ugh! Fine. Whatever. Do what you want. But don't come crawling to me when your father gives you a matching scar."

She turned around and stomped off into the forest.

"Where are you going?" Zuko called.

"Away from you!"

Zuko shook his head and started after her. "Katara. . ."

"Leave me alone!"

Zuko let out a frustrated sigh. He quickened his pace so he was walking next to her. He grabbed her arm and spun her around so she was facing him. "Listen!"

"No, get off of me!"

"Katara, I don't want to hurt you."

"Then get off!"

Katara shook herself free and started running. Zuko was at her heals. He punched a ball of fire out in front of him, blocking her way.

Katara turned around and scowled at him. Zuko smirked.

"You have no water to defend yourself with. Stop this nonsense so we can get moving."

Katara closed her eyes. She remembered something that Gran-Gran had told her about Waterbending, even though she wasn't a Waterbender herslelf.

_There is water in all living things._

Katara sighed. She didn't know if she was skilled enough to do that yet. But she had to try. It was either that, or she would be a prisoner for the rest of her life.

Katara concentrated, trying to feel the water in the trees and plants around her. She took a deep breath.

Without warning, Katara lifted her hands above her head and water came up from the trees. She crossed her hands in front of her and shot the water at Zuko. He only had time to blink before the water hit up. He fell to the ground, coughing.

When he looked up, Katara was gone. Zuko sighed and got up. He looked in the direction that she probably would have gone. He shook his head. He wanted to go after her, but he knew that would waste time. Katara was a strong girl. She could fend for herself. Right now, he had to figure out a way to capture the Avatar before Zhao does.

Taking one last look at at the spot where Katara had been, Zuko turned around and ran.

* * *

><p>Katara ran, and kept running, never looking back. She probably ran a mile before she stopped to catch her breath.<p>

_Free. I'm finally free._

Katara slumped against a tree. She had no idea where all that energy had come from. Maybe it wa just adrenaline. She still couldn't believe she had just bent water out of plants! Sure the plants had died, but she didn't have time to feel sorry for them.

When she had calmed down a bit, she stood up and took a look around. Sure she has escaped pretty easily, but now she didn't know where she was. Maybe Zuko was right. Maybe she couldn't last on her own.

Katara shook her head. Of course she could. She was traveling the world with the Avatar and her brother. She was always cooking for them and sewing up Sokka's pants. She could make it.

Katara sat back against the tree and closed her eyes. All the exaustion was catching up to her now.

_Maybe I can take a nap. Just for a few minutes. . ._

. . . Katara's eyes shot open. It was now dark; she could barely see a thing. She hadn't realized that she had been asleep for hours. Aang could probably be in the hands of Zuko or Zhoa by now! She had to them quickly.

Katara figured that since they were going to the Northern Water Tribe, she should go north. She looked up at the sky and located the north star. She then started walking in that direction.

She was walking for about half an hour now. Her legs were getting tired and her eyes started droping. But she had to keep going. Each second it seemed like the forest was getting darker and she didn't know if she was going in the right direction or not.

A few minutes later, she saw smoke coming up from behind the tree. In the distance, she could see a small campfire. Katara comtemplated going there. Maybe there would be people there that could help her. Maybe it would be Aang and Sokka, though she was sure that they would be in the North Pole by now. Maybe it was some Fire Nation soldiers or maybe Zuko. Katara decided it would be safer if she just avoided it.

Katara cut through some trees and tried to circle around the place where the fire was. As she walked, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She quickened her pace, trying to reassure herself that she was being paranoid. Then she heard something. She quickly whirled around, getting into a fighting stance while bending water out of some of the trees around her.

She narrowed her eyes when she saw that no one was there. She could have sworn she had heard something in the bush. Without thinking, she quickly turned around and ran. She didn't make it ten feet before she tripped over a tree branch.

She heard laughter around her and her heart stopped. She looked up to see some pirates sneering down at her. They were the smae pirates that had helped Zuko capture her.

"Well look at what we have here," one of them said.

"Looks like this water scum has ventured far from home," another said.

"Maybe we should return her. . . Or just keep her for ourselves." The pirates smirked.

Katara quickly got up and bent some water out of the trees, unleashing it onto the pirates. She got up and ran only to run into another, much bigger pirate. He smirked down at her.

"Hey, you guys. Isn't this the one we captured for that Fire Prince?" He turned her around so the others could take a good look at her.

"You're right," one of them said. "How much do you think the Prince would pay to get her back?"

"Who cares?" someone replied. "I bet Zhao will pay even more. Especially when we tell him that she's with the Avatar."

This caused an excited uproar to go through the pirates. Katara cringed. She knew that being imprisoned by Zuko is much better than being imprisoned by Zhao. She had not missed the look he was giving her when he was on Zuko's ship.

No. She wasn't going to be held captive again. Not while her brother and Aang needed her.

Faster than lightning, she spun out of the man's grip and kicked him between the legs. While he fell to the floor, clutching his crotch in pain, she made a run for it. The pirates didn't even know what had happened. She was a good distance away when the first of them snapped out of their trance.

"You fools! After her!"

Katara quickened her pace but triped over yet again.

_Stupid trees. The universe really hates me right now._

She almost smiled at the thought, thinking about how much she sounded like Sokka.

Before the pirates could catch up, she got up and ran, only to have her way blocked off by someone else. Katara guessed that he was the lead pirate, since he was the only one that wasn't dressed in rags and had a green Reptile Bird on his shoulder. The same one she had seen before the ship blew up.

He grabbed her shoulder and smirked. "Nice try. But no."

She was taken over to a tree, ropes binding her arms.

Katara sighed. _Tied to a tree again._

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><p><strong>Review plz! :)<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys. So sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been really busy. But I'm here now. I hope u like this!**

**I'm sure u all have watched Legend of Korra already. It's AMAZING! I love how it's only been 5 episodes, and they're already shipping Makorra. Haha. I love them.**

**I was cheering like crazy when they kissed. But I feel bad for Bolin. As much as I love him, Korra belongs to Mako.**

**And I absolutely hate Asami! She needs to go and die so Makorra can be together. I seriously don't trust her. But even if she isn't evil, I think she should be with Bolin.**

**Who's ur favorite character. Mine is Mako, just cuz he reminds me of Zuko. And he's pretty sexy, with his scarf and all. . .**

**Oh and I found out a few days ago that Zuko's still alive. AHH! OLD PEOPLE ZUTARA LOVE! haha. I bet he's still pretty sexy. . . **

**Replies to annaoymous reviewers:**

**zutaralover 10: **Haha I won't. I was thinking about that, but then I thought that it would be too cliche. Everybody does that. I want this story to be different.

**VERNON:** Thank u! Means a lot me. Enjoy!

**Monic:** Thank u! I hope u like this!

**Thank you guys so much for reviewing. It really means a lot to me. Keep it up!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA**

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

Katara sighed as the pirates kept argueing. They were deciding on what to do with her. Some of them wanted to sell her. Some of them wanted to give her back to Prince Zuko for a lot of money. Others wanted to keep her for their own personal pleasures.

Katara cringed at the thought.

"Enough!" The leader yelled. "We'll disuss what we'll do with her later." He stroked the Reptilebird that was on his shoulder and turned to Katara. "Right now, you will tell me where the scroll is."

"What scroll?" Katara asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb with me. You know what scroll I'm talking about. The one that you stole from us and the spoiled brat escaped with."

Katara smirked. "Oh, that scroll. That got destroyed when you blew up the ship."

His face turned red. "You fucking bitch!"

Katara laughed. "What did I do? You're the one that blew up the ship."

This made him even more angry. He drew back a fist to ounch her. Katara leaned sideways, dodging the attack by inches. The pirate's fist hit the tree and he cried out in pain.

Katara summoned water from a nearby river. She used it to cut free of her ropes. One of the pirates grabbed her but she kicked him between his legs and ran.

"After her, you fools!" the lead pirate yelled.

Katara ran faster. But the pirates were gaining fast. Katara made a quick decision and turned to the right. She ran right into to something - er someone- hard.

She looked up and nearly groaned.

"I'll save you from the pirates."

Katara didn't even have time to roll her eyes before Zuko took off, dragging her with him. She looked behind her and saw the pirates right at their heels.

Zuko threw some flames behind them, creating a wall of fire between them and the pirates. They heard the pirates curse. They kept running.

They finally stopped when they thought they were at a safe distance.

When she caught her breath, Katara straightened up and glared at Zuko. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Zuko frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Why did you come and save me? I was doing perfectly fine on my own."

"Well by the looks of it, you weren't. Those pirates looked like they were about to eat you alive."

"I would have been fine."

"Whatever."

Katara defiantly crossed her arms over her chest. "Why did you come back for me?"

"Because you're my only way to get to the Avatar."

"Oh," Katara said. Slightly disappointed.

She frowned at herself. Why did she feel like that? It's not like he cared about her. The only thing he cared about was capturing the Avatar and regaining his precious 'honor'.

But a small part of her wished that he had come back because he cared about _her_. That he was worried about her and wanted to make sure that she she was okay. That he came back to apologize.

But no, Spirits forbid it would ever be like that.

Zuko caught some of her disappointment, but tried to ignore it. The truth was, he had missed her. The month that she had spent on his ship, they had grown close. It felt like they were old friends instead of sworn enemies. She had talked about life back at the south pole, and he had told her about what it was like to live in the Fire Nation.

But now he had to be the banished prince he was.

"What were you thinking?" he asked. "That I would risk my ass and save your's just because I missed you?"

Katara shook her head. "Nevermind."

She started walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"Well I'm not going to stay here and wait for the pirates to catch up."

Zuko sighed and followed her. He could tell that she was hurt, but he had to hold himself back. He couldn't get too attatched to her, after all, in the end, the Avatar will find her and then she'll leave him.

They didn't say anything as they walked, and but the silence was pounding in Zuko's ears.

"Where the hell are we even going?" he asked.

Katara shrugged without looking back at him. Zuko sighed. He couldn't take this anymore. He walked up to her and grabbed her arm, turing her around so she was facing him.

"What's your problem?" Katara yelled, yanking her arm back.

"I could ask you the same thing!"

"I don't have a problem."

"Then why are you acting so bitchy?"

"Well, what the hell am I suppose to do? You're trying to capture my best friend and the world's only hope for peace. You can't just expect me to be okay with it!"

"Look, I'm sorry. I really am. But I have to do this?"

"Why? So you're father, who also happened to be the man who burned you and banished you just because you disobeyed him, can accept you back? So you can have your precious throne and continue to bring chaos and destruction to the world?"

Zuko looked down. "I'm not like my father."

"Zuko, I know you're not." Katara laid a hand on his face. "That's why I'm telling you not to do this. I've been with you for over a month. I know you're better this."

Zuko sighed. He knew she was right. He really wanted to believe her, just because he didn't want to hurt her. He looked at her and was surprised at how close her face was to his. He realized that he was slowly leaning down towards her. He caught himself. His feelings were replaced by a scowl.

"Don't try to mess with my mind. There's nothing you can say that will change my mind. Unlike you Katara, I actually have an important life to go back to."

Katara huffed angrily. "Whatever."

She turned around and continued walking.

Zuko shook his head. "You don't even know where you're going."

"I don't care!"

Zuko hurried to keep up with her. "Katara, listen - "

"No, you listen!" She stopped and whirled around, causing Zuko to almost run into her. "You can't expect me to just stay quiet while you hunt down the Avatar. I'm going to go find him. If you know the way so well, why don't you turn around and leave?"

"I can't just leave you!"

"Why not? You don't have any use for me anymore. I'm just slowing you down."

"Katara, you're being ridiculous."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Because I care about you, damnit!"

Katara stopped. She turned around and glared at him, causing him to wince. "You just said you didn't!"

"I was lying!" Zuko yelled. "I actually care about you. A lot. And I really like you That's why I came back. I don't want you to get hurt." Katara scoffed and looked away. Zuko gently grabbed her chin and tilted her head up so he could look into her blue eyes. "You think I'm lying?"

"What else am I suppose to think," Katara whispered. "Just because I was stuck on a ship with you for a month, I'm going to fall for you? Zuko, I've grown to care about you also. I know that you're better than what you're letting yourself be. But you're too damn stubborn to see that, so you hurt everyone else!"

Zuko smirked. "So you feel the same way?"

"I never said that," Katara said quickly. "It's just that - "

Zuko didn't let finish. Before she could say anything else, he crashed his lips onto hers.

Katara took a few moments to realize what was happening. She closed her eyes.

_He's kissing me. He's really kissing me!_

And much to her horror, she found that she was kissing back.

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><p><strong>Yay Zutara! Haha. U guys wanted some romance. There u go.<strong>

**I'm sorry this was so short! I'll try make the next chapter longer. Tell me what you think.**

**Also tell me ur opinions on Legend of Korra. What couple do u ship? Who's ur favorite character?**

**Plz review!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

_He's kissing me. My sworn enemy is kissing me._

This was all Katara could think as she felt Zuko's lips move against hers. She knew this was wrong. She knew she should stop this. But it just felt so . . . _right_. Soon, she found herself kissing him back.

She could feel Zuko's relief as he brought her closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He bent down so she wouldn't have to stand on her toes.

She didn't know how long they stood there, kissing like there's no tomorrow. It was a while before she finally came to her senses and pulled away from him. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Kissing you."

"Why?"

Zuko shrugged. "I just. . . I don't want to lose you." He had said in the quietest voice, but she had still heard him.

"Oh," she said in a small voice. She noticed that their arms were still around each other. And she wasn't about to move away. Zuko pulled her closer and pressed his forehead to hers. "I don't want to leave you." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Zuko smiled. It was the most wonderful thing she has ever seen. Slowly, he turned his head and reconnected their lips. She reacted immidiately. She had no idea why she was doing this. But she knew that she wanted it. She wanted it _so badly_.

Her arms went back around his neck and her hands went up to his head. She fingered his ponytail. She wanted so badly to run her hands throught his long hair. She didn't know what came over her, but she reached over and gently pulled his ponytail out. She had seen him with his hair open a couple of times on the ship. She preffered him better that way.

Katara pulled away from him and stared into his eyes. He looked so much different with his hair open. He looked younger and kinder. More handsome than he already was.

Katara stroked his non-scared cheek. He closed his eyes to her touch and then his lips were back on hers. This kiss was more hungry than the ones they shared before. Katara pulled him closer and heard him groan.

Zuko could tell that she had absolutely no idea what she was doing. This must have been her first kiss. But he admired the way she had taken controll. She had even made him groan!

Zuko kissed her harder, pulling her even closer - if that was possible. Katara felt her feet being lifted off the ground as he pushed her against a tree. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Zuko gripped her hips and grinded onto her, causing her to moan.

This was the best that Zuko had felt in a really, really long time. Sure, he had a lot of girls throwing themselves at him, before and after his banishment. Uncle had even teased him about it. But there was no one like Katara. There was something about her that just drove him crazy. He never wanted this to end, and was disappointed when she pulled away.

"Zuko, we shouldn't be doing this," she panted out.

He frowned. "Why not?"

"Because!" She pushed him away. "We're enemies. We're suppose to hate each other."

Zuko scowled. "I don't want us to be enemies."

"I don't either," Katara said more softly. "But now is not the time. We have something much bigger to worry about."

Zuko looked away. "I hate this. I don't care about this stupid war. I want us to be together! Why can't we just forget about everything?"

Katara was so surprised about his confession that she forgot how to speak for a while. Did he really have the same feelings she had for him? But they couldn't do this now.

"Katara?" Zuko gripped her shoulders and gently shook her. "Say something."

She shook her head. "Zuko, we can't"

"Can't what? Don't you feel the same way?" He took a step back, a look of hurt in his eyes.

"Zuko," she said more forcefully, "now's not the time to discuss this."

"Now is the perfect time to discuss this! Why can't we be together?"

"Because I'm the daughter of the cheif of the Southern Water Tribe, and you're the prince of the Fire Nation. We're in the middle of a war!"

"Screw the war! I hate this. Why can't we just forget about everything?"

"Because we both have our own duties! And have two totally different veiw on things. You're trying to kill Aang while I'm trying to protect him. We can't be together! And who the hell said that I have the same feelings for you?" She instantly regretted saying those words when she saw the look of betrayal on his face.

"So you don't feel the same way?" He took another step back.

"Zuko. . ."

"No! I just spilled my guts out to you. Is that all you have to say?"

"Well what the hell do you want me to say? That I have feelings for you? After you kidnapped me and hurt me so many times? Is that what you thought?"

"Well no. . . But that kiss must have meant something to you. Because it meant everything to me!"

"I - I don't know what you're talking about." Of course it had meant something to her.

"Oh you don't?" Zuko asked, stalking terrifingly close to her. "Because it didn't seem like that."

Before she could stop him, he crashed his lips onto her. She tried to push him away, but that just made him hold on to her tighter. She finally gave in. He pulled away a few seconds later.

"See that? Now tell me you don't feel anything. That you didn't feel a spark. And don't lie!"

"Zuko - " He cut her off with another hard kiss. She pushed him away. "Stop that!"

"Why?" He smirked, placing his hands on either side of her head. "I know you like it," he whispered in her ears. A shiver ran down her spine. He gave her another kiss, this one softer than the otehrs.

"Please stop," Katara said, closee to tears. Zuko pulled away with a sigh.

"Why are you so ashamed of being with me?" he asked.

"I'm not ashamed! I'm just. . ."

"Just what, Katara?"

"I'm scared," she said in a small voice. Zuko placed a hand on her chin and gently tilted her head up so she was looking at him.

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared of what might happen. I have to take care of my brother and Aang. Ever since you took me away from them, all I've done is worry." She pressed on before he could say anything. "And we're in the middle of a war."

Zuko clenched his teeth and looked away. "Come back with me," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"Come back to the Fire Nation with me. You'll like it there." Katara opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off. "The weather there is always really nice. The palace is beautiful. You could spend most of your time in my mother's gardens. I could show you her favorite place, where we fed turtleducks together." He smiled at the memories.

Katara shook her head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Stop asking that! The Fire Nation isn't my home. I don't want to live in the nation that started the war in the first place!"

Zuko stared at her. It took all that she had not to look away. She stared back with the same intensity. Zuko finally sighed and backed away. He turned his back to her.

"Fine," he said. "I get that you won't have me. So don't stay here any longer and hurt me. Just leave."

". . .Huh?" It took her a while to process what he had said.

"Go. I don't want to see you anymore. Leave me."

"Zuko - "

"I said go!" His fists lit up with flame. He backed away when he saw the scared look in her eyes. "Before I change my mind and do something to hurt you."

Katara looked at him. He refused to meet her eyes. He was actually letting her go. She should have taken off right then and there. But something was holding her back. She didn't want to leave him. But she knew that she had to. Like she said before, she had a duty to perform.

She gave Zuko one last look before she turned, and ran off.

Zuko turned and looked after her. Every muscle in his body screamed at him to go after her, to beg for her forgiveness. But he couldn't do it. He let the flames at his palms go out and he fell to his knees. A tear slid down his cheeks.

Meanwhile, Katara ran as fast as she could. She wanted so badly to turn around and go back to him, but she willed herself to go forward.

She stopped when she was satisfied that she reached a safe distance. She sat down and curled into a ball against a tree. All the tears that she had been holding back finally came out. She cried for herself. She cried for Sokka and Aang. She cried for Zuko.

Oh how she wanted to take up his offer. But she knew that would be the wrong thing to do. They both had bigger things to worry about than their stupid teenage hormones.

She didn't know how long she had been that way, but when she finally looked up, it was dark. She wiped her eyes and sighed. She was exausted. She laid down on the forest floor and closed her eyes.

That was when she heard it. A loud roar. She quickly sat up and squinted as she looked up into the sky. It couldn't be. . .

"Aang!"

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><p><strong>I know this was really short. Plz don't hate me! I know this chapter was bittersweet. Zuko will come back in the next chapter.<strong>

**Tell me what you think. I'm really tired so I'll reply to reviews in the next ch. :)**

**Also I'm starting another Zutara story soon. It's gonna be AU. PM me if ur interested!**

**Don't forget to review! **


	11. Chapter 11

**I AM SO SORRY! I know I haven't updated this in a while. I honestly have no excuse. I just didn't know what to write for this, and I was working on my other stories. But I'm back now so I hope you enjoy this.**

**Also, there will be some VERY IMPORTANT author's notes at the bottom. One of them concerns FF's new policy, and the other is about Legend of Korra. PLEASE READ THEM!**

**Replies to annanoymous reviewers:**

**Icky: **Thank u! And it's alright. Living in America, I'm used to all the racism. It just makes me stronger. But thank u for apologizing. :)

**VictoriaM: **Haha thank you! That means a lot to me.

**Blackwidow927: **Thank you so much!

**Here's ch 11!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA cuz if I did, it certainly wouldn't be a kid's show. . . ;)**

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><p>Chapter 11<p>

**Zuko's POV**

I sighed as I saw the sky bison ride out of the trees. I knew that the Avatar and the Water Tribe warrior had found Katara, that she had gone with them. At the thought of the Waterbender, my heart flared with anger.

Growling loudly, I sent a fireball into the air. I watched as it shot into the sky, then died out. I let out a yell of frustration and sank to my knees. I angrily pulled at my hair.

How could I have been so stupid! To think that she would actually feel the same way about a monster like me. I cursed myself at being so vulnerable in front of her. To tell her my deepest feelings for her. The Avatar's girl! I had seen the way he looks at her. . .

But she had kissed me back, hadn't she? That must have meant something. This was all so confusing!

I cried out and flung myself on my back. Why did I have to feel this way about _her_? Out of all the girls in the world, why did it have to be Katara?

I threw an arm over my eyes, trying to hold back my tears. I would _not_ cry over her. I shouldn't be feeling these things for a Water Tribe peasant.

_But she isn't a peasant,_ I thought. Her father was the cheif of the Southern Water Tribe, so that pretty much made her a princess. Still, I shouldn't feel this way about her. But she was just so amazing. I couldn't help it. I couldn't help loving her. . .

I immidately sat up as I heard something in the bushes. I stood up and got into a fighting stance, getting ready to attack. I heard footsteps, but they were too light to be a soldier's. "Katara?" I whispered.

A small shape emerged from behind the trees. "Zuko!"

"Uncle?"

I wasn't able to say anything else before he attacked me in a big bear hug. I sighed. Though I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't Katara, I was happy to see my Uncle all the same. I reluctantly hugged him back.

He pulled back from me and smiled. "Are you alright, Nephew? You look terrible. Oh, I'm so glad you're not harmed!"

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"I saw that fire you sent up. What were you thinking? Zhoa or someone equally dangerous could have seen it and come after you."

"I really wouldn't care." I looked down.

Uncle frowned at the look on my face. "Are you alright? What happened? Where is Lady Katara?"

I closed my eyes tightly, willing my tears to go away. "She's gone." I cursed when my voice cracked.

"I see." Uncle laid a hand on my shoulder, sitting down and pulling me besides him. "Tell me. What happened."

I looked at him. From the expression he had on his face, I knew that I wouldn't be able to get out of this. I took a deep breath. "I kissed her."

"Oh?" When I looked up at him. His face was serious, but his eyes were smiling. I raised an eyebrow.

"You think this is funny?" I asked, not raising my voice.

"I never said that."

"But you're thinking it."

Uncle grinned. "I've seen the way you look at her. You're eyes sparkle whenever you're around her. I see the way you smile whenever she laughs. If that's not something, I don't know what is. So tell me, how was it?"

He laughed at the embarresed look on my face. I felt by face heat up, and it wasn't just because I'm a Firebender. I sighed. There was no getting out of it. "It was great. The most amazing thing I've ever felt. And she kissed back!

"But then she pulled back. I told her that I had feelings for. She didn't tell me if she felt the same way. She said that this was wrong. But it felt so right! I knew that she had also felt something. But she insisted that right now isn't the best time, because of this stupid war!"

Uncle nodded. "So, what did you do?"

I looked down. "I asked her to run away with me. I told her to just forget about this war, to find some place in the Fire Nation to settle down. But she went on about how we both had our own dutites. She wouldn't be with me. So I sent her away."

"You what?" Uncle's voice was a bit surprised, though his expression remained the same.

"I sent her away. Just a few minutes ago, I saw the Avatar's sky bison. I knew they must have found her. Now she's back with her little family, and I'm left here."

I put my face in my hands. I few lone tears escaped down my cheeks. Uncle rubbed my back soothingly as I silently cried. I wiped my tears before I looked up at him. "I don't know why I'm feeling this. I feel like a big chunk of my heart just got ripped out. Most of it was torn off when Mom left, and now Katara. . ."

I growled angrily. Uncle Iroh patted my shoulder. "There, there. It will be alright."

"No it won't Uncle!" I looked up at him. "I've never felt this way for anyone before!"

"Really?" Uncle asked, a small smile playing on his lips. "Not even for Lady Mai?"

I shook my head. I sighed, looking him in the eyes. "Uncle, I think I might love her."

He grinned. "I think that too."

I closed my eyes. "But we can't be together. It will never work out. I'm the Prince of the Fire Nation, and she's the daughter of the cheif of the Southern Water Tribe." I remember with a pang that this was exactly what Katara had said.

Uncle nodded. "But you can worry about this later. Katara was right, we have bigger things to worry about right now. Now, let's go capture an Avatar."

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><p><strong>Katara's POV<strong>

I rested my head on the icy window of the Palace in the Northern Water Tribe. So much had happened in the past few days, I couldn't get my head cleared.

First, Zuko's ship had gotten blown up by Zhoa and a bunch of pirates. Then Zuko and I were actually acting like friends. Then we were yelling each other. Then I ran away. Then I got captured by pirates again. Then Zuko 'rescued' me, again. Then we yelled at each other some more. Then he kissed me.

I tenderly brought my fingers to my lips. I could stil feel his touch, his taste there. I desperately needed more.

_Zuko._

He hadn't left my mind ever since Aang and Sokka had found me. No matter how much I tried, the banished Prince of the Fire Nation still haunts my thoughts. And so much had happened since then, you would think that I would have forgotten about that encounter.

Aang and Sokka had found me in the forrest after I spotted Appa. After a teary reunion, we had rode him to the Northern Water Tribe. They welcomed us in with open arms.

They threw us a feast. We sat next to the head of the Tribe, Cheif Arnook, and his beautiful daughter, Yue. It was very obvious that Sokka had a thing for her. He had gone on a walk with her a while after we arrived. I smiled. Sokka was so hard working and strong, it was nice to see that he had found a nice girl to be with.

We immidiately went out to talk to the Waterbending master, Pakku. He was willing to train Aang, but he refused when I asked for training as well. He went on about how it isn't proper for a girl to fight, and that healing was more fitting.

I had been defeated and went to the healer's hut for lessons. Might as well improve in something. But as time went on, I got frustrated. I challened Pakku to a duel.

I was losing, then winning, then losing again. When Pakku had frozen me to a big iceberg, my mother's necklace had fallen off. He picked it up and said that this was his necklace. When I protested, he said that he had made this as a betrothel necklace for my Gran-Gran. He had loved her, but she hated the Northern custom of arranged marriage so she ran away to the South Pole.

After a little more convincing, Pakku agreed to take me in as a student. He was amazed by my progress. I was a master in no time. Aang on the other hand, chose to play instead of work. But soon, he also mastered Waterbending.

The next day, Sokka and Yue had gone out on Appa, but they saw black smoke that indicated a Fire Nation fleet was about to attack. We had the whole city evacuated, with men ready to defend their Tribe.

I now stood at the window with Yue and Aang, looking out over the oncoming fleets. I don't know why they chose now to attack. They should know that there is a full moon today, and the Waterbenders will be at their most powerful. But I thanked Tui and La for it.

"I need to contact the Spirit World and talk to Avatar Roku," Aang said.

Yue turned to him. "Then you should go to our Spirit Oasis. That is the most sacred place in the whole Tribe. No one will be able to get to you there."

"I'll go with you," I said. "Just incase someone decideds to attack."

Aang smiled, and Yue led us underground to the Oasis. She left us to go find her father. Aang immidiately sat down and after a few minutes, his eyes and arrows started to glow, indicating that he was in the Spirit World.

I sighed and sat down on the grass. Now that I had escaped the chaos of the world above, I could finally think.

I wondered what Zuko was doing at this moment. Had he gotten out of the forrest? What about Iroh? Did he find his nephew?

I don't know why I was worrying about him so much. They were the enemy, though Iroh had been very kind to me. I knew that Iroh hated what the Fire Nation had become, and he too wanted to bring peace into this world. But I couldn't say the same about his nephew.

My eyes wondered to Aang. I'm so glad that he and Sokka had found me. I had missed them so much! And now that out little trio was back together, I was afraid that be might be seperated again.

I sighed, still looking at Aang. He was just a child, though he held a huge responsibility. He had lost his whole race to the Fire Nation. Now those monsters were out to do the same thing to the rest of the world.

"I'll protect you," I whispered. "I'm never going to leave you again."

"My, look how much you have grown."

I stood up and turned around so fast, I saw dots. What I saw made my heart stop. _He_ was there, scowling at me, his eyes full of anger. I strangled gasp escaped my mouth.

"Zuko!"

* * *

><p><strong>IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! FOR THE FUTURE OF FANFICTION!<strong>

**Fan-fiction is still deleting stories than contain yaoi, yuri, lemons, violence, stories based on songs, and any detailed sex scenes…so…just about every story on the site. Most everyone knows of the petition going around. If you haven't signed it, the link is on DarkHeartInTheSky's profile.**

**Please spread the word any way you can, in any fandom! And let me know if you're going to join. The motto is "Unleash Your Imagination." How can we if we're being given a LONG list of what we cannot write?**

**This message was copied from zukofan2005**

**There is also another link to the petition. If you go to my review pages for one of my stories called Kidnapped, one of my ananoymous reviewer under the name of FYI has it. PLEASE SIGN!**

**ALSO IMPORTANT!**

**As I'm sure you all know, season 1 of Legend of Korra is over. We're not going to get season 2 for a while. Many predict it's going to come out in the first half of 2013. I've also heard that it's coming out in November. Either way, we'll have to wait a few months.**

**I have also heard that they MIGHT make a season 3. It depends on how much support the series gets. So we need to do as many things as we can to show our support.**

**BUY the season from itunes or buy the dvd when it comes out, don't download it for free. ****Also tweet this message to (at sign) NickelodeonTV: #KorraNation wants book 2 and book 3.**

**If enough ppl do this, they'll notice and see how much we love the creators and how much we love the series.**

**Also, if you can, go to Comic-Con. I'm trying to convince my parents of that myself. I'm trying to go to the one in San Diego. The Korra ppl are going to be in the second largest room, so we can just imagine how amazing and poplular this show is. If you can, go there and show your support.**

**Feel free to copy and paste these messages onto ur stories of you like.**

**Now back to this story, review and tell me what you think. Please don't be the person that reads a Zutara fanfic, but leaves when Katara leaves Zuko. This story has a long way to go. I'm going to make this go past Sozin's Comit. If this gets too long, I'll make a sequel.**

**Follow me on Twitter (BareerahTheGirl). I'm going to do a Q&A thing where u guys can ask me anything about any of my stories, and I'll answer you without giving too much away.**

**Also check out my new Zutara story, In Real Life. It's AU.**

**If you need a fangirl buddy for Legend of Korra, I'm here. ;)**

**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!**


	12. Chapter 12

**IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!**

**Actually it's not that important. But I would love for u to read this! :D**

**First of all, I am terribly sorry for not updating sooner. I was working on my other stories. And also, I was a bit stumped on this one. I had absoluetly no idea where I wanted to go next. But with the help of FlyingTurtleduck, I have a great idea.**

**Please just stick with me here. I know the ppl tend to leave a Zutara capture fic if Katara leaves Zuko, but if you just stay for a while, I promise u won't be disappointed. If you guys want to know where I'm going with this story, feel free to PM me.**

**Replies to annanoymous reveiwers:**

**KittyKat2583: **Thank u so much! It means a lot to me.

**Phantomxxxxxx: **Thank u! Enjoy!

**BTW, did any of u go to the San Diego Comic Con. I really wanted to go, but I didn't tell my dad because I thought he would say no. But he said yes. But all the tickets were sold out. Sigh.**

**Anyways, I saw videos of the LOK panel. It was awesome! Really wish I was there. But there's always next year. After all, they are making 4 books now! Can't wait!**

**ON WITH THE STORY**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA**

**This takes place during the finale of season 1.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 12<p>

**Normal POV**

"Zuko," Katara repeated a little quieter. "No."

"Yes." He stepped out of the shadows, a scowl on his scared face. He stepped closer to her. Katara backed up, determined to protect Aang.

"Zuko, please don't do this."

"Why not?" he spat. "You left me so easily. I gush my fucking heart out to you, Katara! And you just left because of your stupid duty, and your stupid Avatar. Tell me why I shouldn't burn this place to the ground? Along with you."

Katara took another step back, stung. "You don't mean that Zuko."

"Yes. I do."

But she saw the pain in his eyes. She stepped closer, until she was just a few feet in front of him. "You don't have to do this. We can still be friends if you just stop all this nonsense right now. I told you, your father won't take you back. But if you come with us, we can defeat him and help make the world a better place for everyone."

She hesitantly reached over and took his hand. Zuko twitched at her touch. Oh, how badly he wanted to take her into his arms, to believe that everything will be fine between them. But he knew that things will never be alright. Not with them.

Zuko covered up his feelings by laughing evilly. "Are you really that stupid?" he said. "Come on, Katara. I'd think you'd be smarter than that. Do you really think I believe you?" Katara looked down, hurt. Zuko snorted. "Wow, you really are stupid."

Katara snatched her hand back and shoved him. "What about you?" she yelled. "You're lying about your feelings for me. It's just so you can get to Aang." But even as she was saying it, she knew it wasn't true.

Zuko's face softened a bit, his eyes never leaving hers. He took a step closer, towering over her. It took Katara all she had not to back up.

"I can lie about a lot of things," he said. "I'm sure you know that. But I could never lie about my feelings for you." He took another step towards her, laying a hand on her cheek. "Everything I said to you that day was true."

Katara shook her head, pushing his hand away. She felt like she was betraying Aang in someway, even if he wasn't technically in the room. She knew that Aang had a big crush on her. So if he found out her feelings for Zuko, he would be devestated. Right now, he needed to focus.

"Zuko, I really like you, and I really want us to be friends," she said. "But we're both going down different paths. This can't happen."

"Then run away with me," he said. "Let's forget everything and leave. It will be just you and me."

"I already told you, we can't do that. As much as I would love to forget everything, it just can't happen."

"Why?" Zuko yelled, his anger flaring. "Do you really care about your child of an Avatar more than me."

"Well right now, I do," Katara shot back, matching his tone. "The future of the Northern Water Tribe depends on him right now. I need to protect him."

Zuko looked away and turned his back to hers. Katara lightly touched his shoulder. She turned him around so he was facing her.

"Please Zuko," she said in a quieter voice. "If you join us, we can still be together. Just, don't attack him. He's just a little kid burdened with a huge responsibility. Don't make it harder for him."

Zuko wanted so badly to take her offer, but the stubborn part of him won out. "No," he said. "I'll never join you. You won't understand now. But maybe when the Fire Nation rules the world, I'll spare you. I'll keep you as my personal slave." He smirked.

Katara stepped back, shocked by his sudden cruelness. She hid her hurt by frowning. "Fine," she said. "If you can't take my offer, then we'll have to be enemies."

Zuko shrugged, like he didn't care. But Katara saw him clench his jaw.

"Fine."

He ran for Aang. Katara acted quickly and summoned water from the pond, sending him smashing against a wall. Zuko got up and scowled at her.

"Give me the boy, and I won't have to hurt you."

Katara scoffed. "Like you haven't hurt me enough." She got into a fighting stance.

Zuko kicked up, shooting waves of fire from his feet. Katara dodged them and evaporated them with her water. Zuko kept punching flames at her. Katara thanked Tui and La that there was a full moon.

Zuko seemed to waver a bit and Katara took this oppertunity to shoot a wave of water at him. Zuko went flying back and landed face first on the ground.

"I see you've been practicing," he said. "But I didn't come this far to lose to you. _Water peasant_!"

He sent another blast of fire towards her but Katara dodged it, sending a wave of water at him. Zuko stumbled back into the pond, but managed to stay upright.

Katara froze the water at his feet, making him unable to move. She unleashed all her anger out on him, making him pay for hurting her. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew her growing feelings for him won't go away any time soon. She loved him too much.

She built a big ball of water around him, freezing him so that he was trapped. She smiled in satisfaction.

"You little _bitch_," Zuko sneered. "You've found a master, haven't you?"

He rose his body temperature until the ice broke. He jumped out of it. He shot flames after flames at her, jumping out of the way when she attcked.

He stepped closer and closer to her. He reached out, fire gloving his hand. He was inched away from grabbing her neck, when she turned at the last minute. He was now only a few feet away from her.

One of his attckes missed her by centimeters. Katara yelped and jumped back. Zuko managed to run behind to Aang. He had barely grasped his collor when Katara sent a wave of water after him , sending him sprawling into the pond again.

She sent a bigger wave at him, pushing him up against the wall and freezing him there. Zuko didn't move or open his eyes. Katara relaxed a bit.

She looked up in horror as the sun came out. She felt her power draining. Zuko's head snapped up as he felt the sun, scowling at her. Katara had never seen him this frightening before.

He breathed out, steam coming out of his nose. It quickly melted the ice and he jumped down, running towards her. He sent an enormous ball of fire at her. She tried to block it, but was to late. The impacted was so much that it knocked her back into a tree. Her head it the tree first, hard. Her vision grew blurry.

When she became a little more focused, she saw Zuko holding Aang's limp body by the collor. A triumphant smirk graced his lips. She heard him say something before she blacked out.

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun."

* * *

><p><strong>PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I know that was extremely short. But if I put everything that I wanted to into this, it would be too long. Don't worry. I'm going to start on the next chapter right after this so stay tuned.<strong>

**I really hoped you guys liked the fighting scene. I tried my hardest. This is actually one of my most favorite Zutara scene, even though it's not too pleasant. But that last line that Zuko said is my most favorite line EVER! Haha.**

**So review and tell me what you think. The next ch will be up sooner than this one was. I promise! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

After meeting with her father to see if everything was alright, Princess Yue was told to go back to the Spirit Oasis where she would be safe with Katara and Aang. Her father had told her that Sokka will be there shortly to make sure they're alright.

As she neared the sacred grounds, she heard yelling. She peaked over a bush and gasped at what she saw.

Katara was being attcked by the Fire Prince. She supposed that she should go and help her, but she was a nonbender and didn't know any self defense. In her culture, it was improper for a woman to fight. That is, until, Katara came along with the Avatar. And Sokka.

Katara seemed to be holding up fine against the scarred prince, so Yue turned and ran for help. She was just outside the Palace when she ran into Sokka.

"Yue!" he yelped in surprise. "What are you doing? You're suppose to be at the Oasis with Katara and Aang. Your father sent me over to look after you."

"I went to check up on my father," Yue said. "When I went back to the Spirit Oasis, I saw Katara battling the Prince of the Fire Nation."

"What?" Sokka yelled. "Zuko's here?"

Yue nodded. "I'm not a bender, and I don't know any self defense, so I ran for help. Oh Sokka, we have to help her!" Her voice, etched with concern, cracked a little.

Sokka pulled her into his arms. "It'll be alright," he said, kissing her head. "Katara's strong. She was held captive my that monster for more than a month. She can take care of herself."

Yue nodded. Sokka pulled away and wiped her tears. "Come on," he said. "Let's go help my baby sister."

With that, they climbed onto Appa and headed towards the Oasis.

But when they got there, they saw that Zuko was gone. And so was Aang. Katara was on the ground, unconcious. Sokka called out his sister's name.

Katara opened her eyed and looked up. At first, she didn't know where she was. But then the memories came flooding back.

Zuko. Their battle. Him taking Aang.

Katara's eyes filled with tears. _Aang. I've failed you._

Sokka jumped off of Appa and raced to his sister's side. "What happened? Where's Zuko?"

Katara looked away. She tightly closed her eyes as tears escaped them. "He took Aang. He took him right from under me. I wasn't able to protect him."

Sokka stepped closer and gave her a tight hug. "It's not your fault sis. This is Zuko we're talking about. But don't worry, we'll find them and bring Aang back."

Katara tightened her arms around him when he mentioned Zuko's name. Sokka frowned.

"Katara," he said. "Did something happen?"

Katara shook her head. "I'll tell you later. . ." Sokka nodded. Katara buried her head in his chest. "I can't believe I lost him."

"You did everything you could." Sokka pulled back and kissed her forehead. "And now, we need to do everything _we_ can to bring Aang back."

Katara looked up at her brother. He thought she was talking about Aang, but her mind was on a certain scarred prince.

As much as she wanted to hate him for doing this to her, for doing this to all of them, she just couldn't. Part of her really wanted to take his offer to run away. But she knew that it simply couldn't happen.

"Zuko couldn't have gotten far," Sokka continued. "We're going to find him. Aang's gonna be alright."

"Okay." was all Katara could say. They all climbed onto Appa. "You stay here, Momo," she said to the lemur. "Incase Aang comes back." Though she knew he wouldn't.

"Yip yip," Sokka said, and they were airborn.

The whole way, Katara couldn't stop thinking about Zuko. She curcled up in a ball on Appa's saddle, willing her tears back. Yue came to sit besides her.

"It's alright," she said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Aang will be alright. He's the Avatar. He can handle himself."

"It's not Aang that I'm worried about," Katara said. She was hoping that Yue didn't hear that, but she did.

"Is it the Prince?" she asked. Katara nodded. She looked up to make sure that Sokka wasn't listening.

"I know there's good in him," Katara whispered. "But he's just too stubborn to accept it. He thinks that his father can restore his honor. But I know that his father won't do that. He's a cruel man. But Zuko isn't."

Yue squeezed the younger girl's shoulders. Though she didn't quite know what she was talking about, she had a pretty good idea.

"Love can be hard," Yue said. "Trust me, I know. I love your brother. But I am to be married to someone else. It's for my Tribe, so I can't refuse. We all have to make sacrifices."

Katara sighed. That sounded like what she had said to Zuko. And look how that ended up.

* * *

><p>Zuko was cold to his bones. He tried to rise his body temperature, but he had to be careful so he didn't blow himself up. Still, he treked on.<p>

The Avatar was on his back. His arrows were glowing, signaling that he was in the Spirit World.

Zuko was so tired, he almost didn't notice that the ice beneath his feet had started to crack until he heard a loud noise. Looking behind him, he saw that he was walking on a lake and the ice was tearing apart.

He ran until he was sure that he has his solid ground. His feet tripped beneath him and he fell, the Avatar falling off of him. Zuko shook snow off of him and looked up to see a cave not to far.

"Shelter."

He grabbed the Avatar and dragged him to the cave. Once he got there, he threw him down, non to gently. He tied up his arms and legs incase he would return and try to run.

Zuko sat down on the wall opposite to the Avatar. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them to keep warm.

"I finally have you," he said to the Avatar. "But I can't get you home becasue of this blizzard."

He didn't know if the Avatar could hear him or not, but he kept speaking. He stood up and walked to the mouth of the cave.

"There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister. Everything has always come easily to her. She's a firebending prodigy, and everyone adores her. My father says she was born lucky; he says that I was lucky to be born. But I don't need luck. I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight, and that's made me strong." He closed his eyes and looked down. "It's made me who I am."

Zuko sat back down. His eyes went to the Avatar as he shifted a bit. But he didn't wake. Zuko turned his head to the mouth of the cave as the wind blew harder.

"Guess we'll be here a while."

* * *

><p>They had been searching for about an hour now, and there was still no sign of Aang or Zuko. Katara was starting to worry something bad had happened to them.<p>

"Don't worry," Yue said, sensing her concern. "Prince Zuko couldn't have gotten far in this weather."

"I'm not worried that they'll get away in the blizzard," Katara said. "I'm worried that they won't."

"They're not going to die in this blizzard," Sokka said. "If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up."

Katara smiled a little. _You've got that right._

"They'll survive," Sokka continued. "And we'll find them."

"Why don't you rest for a while," Yue said to Katara. "We'll tell you if we see something."

Katara nodded, and was about to lie down when a flash of light passed them, like a comet. Katara turned and saw that it was headed towards the opposite direction that they were going. "Look!" she pointed. "That must be Aang!"

* * *

><p>Zuko stumbled back as the bright light entered the cave. He looked at the Avatar to see that he was awake. The Avatar struggled against the ropes that Zuko had tied around him. He sat up and glared at Zuko.<p>

"Welcome back," the prince sneered.

"Good to be back," Aang said with equal venom in his voice.

The Avatar took a deep breath and blew a gust of wind at Zuko. Zuko was flung back against the wall, and Aang was thrown out of the cave. He tried to crawl away, but failed miserably. Zuko grabbed him by the collor and pulled him up.

"You're going to need to do much better than that."

Aang looked past him and into the sky. His big grey eyes lit up. "Appa!"

Zuko turned, and sure enought, the huge sky bison had landed behind him. Katara slid off, scowling at Zuko.

Zuko threw Aang aside like he was a sack of potatoes and got into a fighting stance. "Ready for a rematch, _peasant_?"

"Trust me Zuko, it won't be much of a match."

She bulit a wall of snow in front of her to block the flames that Zuko threw at her. She angrily sent an avalanch of snow to Zuko and rose him up in the sky, freezing him there for a second. Even from where she was, she could see his golden eyes, and was reminded about all the things he had said to her. Katara angrily threw the tower to the ground, with Zuko in it.

Zuko lay there, not moving. Katara felt a pang of guilt and hurt.

Sokka rushed over to Aang and untied him.

"We need to hurry," Aang said. "The Spirits are in trouble. Zhoa wants to kill the Moon Spirit so there will be no more Waterbenders left."

"Oh no," Yue whispered.

They all hopped onto Appa. All except Katara.

"Katara, what are you doing?" Sokka yelled. "We have to leave_ now_!"

Katara looked at Zuko sadly. "We can't leave him here," she said.

"Sure we can," Sokka said. "Let's go."

Katara glared at him. How could he be so cold. But then again, he didn't know Zuko like she did. "No," she said defiantly. "If we leave him, he'll die."

"She's right," Aang said. "The Monks taught me to value all life, no matter how evil they are. We have to help him."

Katara smiled gratefully at Aang as he helped her get Zuko onto Appa. Sokka gave his sister a weird look, but kept quiet.

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense," he said in his sarcastic Sokka way. "Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us."

Katara rolled her eyes as Appa took off. She brought Zuko to the back of the saddle. "I'll keep an eye on him."

The others shrugged and turned away from them. She gently laid Zuko's head down. Zuko stirred a bit and caught her wrist. "Katara, I'm sorry."

Katara looked away. "Don't talk, you need to keep warm." But she didn't remove her hand from his. Before she could do anything, he pulled her down and kissed her. Katara quickly pulled away and made sure that no one saw that. But they were all too busy looking at the moon.

Katara bit her lips and quickly bent down to kiss him again. Zuko smiled faintly.

They got to the Oasis, but not before Zhoa pick up the Koi fish that was the Moon Spirit's mortal form. They looked up in horror as the moon turned red.

Yue staggered. Sokka caught her before she could fall. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I feel faint," she replied.

"I feel it too," Aang said, looking up at the moon. "Zhoa has the Moon Spirit."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life," Yue said softly.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

Yue proceeded to tell them that when she was born, she wasn't crying. The doctors told her parents that she was going to die. So they put her in the Spirit Oasis and the Moon Spirit kissed her and blessed her with life.

They landed in the Oasis and Momo jumped onto Zhoa head.

He yelped and started jumping around. "Get it off! Get it off!"

It would have been a really funny sight if they didn't have a bigger thing to worry about. They all got off of Appa and got into fighting stances.

"Don't bother," Zhoa said. He lit a flame on his fist and held it up to the bag that held the Spirit. The Gang relaxed their stances.

"Zhoa," Aang said, throwing down his staff. "Don't."

"It's my destiny to destroy the moon, and the Water Tribe."

_You sound like Zuko_, Katara thought.

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe," Aang said. "It will hurt everyone. Including you. Without the moon, everything will fall out of balance. You have no idea how much chaos that would unleash on the world!"

"He is right, Zhoa," said a voice. They all turned to see Iroh standing on the entrance to the Oasis.

"General Iroh," Zhoa said, his voice level. "Why am I not surprised to discover your betrayal?"

"I'm no traitor Zhoa," Iroh said. "The Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance. What ever you do to the Spirit," he threateningly pointed a finger at Zhoa, "I'll unleash on you, tenfold!"

Katara and Zuko were both taken aback. They had never seen Iroh ever rise his voice before.

"Let it go! _Now_!" Iroh yelled.

Zhoa stared at them all for a while, then looked down, defeated. He got down to his knees and let the fish back into the pond where it continued circling with the black Koi **(IDK which Spirit that is. I think it's the sun, but I don't want to be wrong).**

Then his eyes flared and he sent flames down on the pond, killing the Moon Spirit.

Everyone looked in horror as the moon disappeared. Iroh furiously sent flames after flames at Zhoa. His souldiers tried to defend their Admiral, but Iroh knocked them all down. Zhoa turned and fled. Zuko went after him.

Iroh sadly picked up the dead Koi fish. Sokka put his arm around Yue.

"There's no hope now," she said, burying her face in his shoulder. "It's over."

"No," Aang said, his tatooes glowing. "It's not over." **(We know what happens next. If you don't remember, watch the last two episodes of S1)**

After Aang had left, Iroh gently placed the fish back in the water.

"It's too late," Katara said. "It's dead."

Iroh could only nod. He looked over at Yue who was still in Sokka's arms. He noticed her white hair. "You have been touched by the Moon Spirit," he said. "Some of it's life is in you."

"Yes, you're right," Yue said. "It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back." She stood up and walked closer to the Oasis.

"No!" Sokka shouted, grabbing her hand. "You don't have to do that."

"It is my duty Sokka."

"I won't let you!" He squeezed her hand tighter. "Your father told me to protect you."

"I have to do this." Without looking at him, she slipped her hand away.

Iroh held the dead fish out to her. She rested both hands on it, and it started to glow. Yue closed her eyes. It was all over after a few seconds. Yue fell back, but Sokka caught her before she could hit the ground.

"No!" Tears streamed down his face. He hugged her closer to him. "She's gone."

Katara rested a hand on her brother's shoulder. She too had tears in her eyes. Even though they had only known her for a few weeks, Yue had been like a sister to her. And she had made Sokka happy, and Katara would be forever grateful for that.

The Koi fish started to glow. Iroh placed it back in the water. Yue's body soon disappeared. They all looked, astonished, at the Oasis. It was glowing white. Yue's Spirit hung over it.

She glided over to Sokka, resting a hand on his cheek. "Goodbye, Sokka. I'll always be with you." She kissed him, and soon, she was gone.

Sokka stared up at the sky. The moon was back.

* * *

><p><strong>Aren't I amazing? Two updates in two days! But I know I have much to make up for. I'll start on the next ch now. I should have it up by today. If not, then tomorrow. But tell me what you think.<strong>

**I really really like this eppi, so that's why I put the whole thing with Yue in it. Hope you liked it!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA. This ch took place in the S1 finale. And yes, a lot of the lines were taken out of the eppi.**

**There's more Zutara to come, so stick around!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Iroh and Zuko had managed to sneak away on a raft. Zuko sat down, with his back to his uncle.

"You know, Prince Zuko," Iroh said. "I am surprised that you are not trying to capture the Avatar right now."

"I'm tired," was all Zuko said.

Iroh nodded. He tied up the sail. They were heading towards the nearest island. Right now, all they were concerned about was shelter and food.

"Did you talk to Katara," Iroh asked after a while.

Zuko sighed. He knew that his uncle would ask this sooner or later. "Yes."

"How did it go?"

"Not so well." But a small smile braced his lips when he thought about the kiss that they had shared on the sky bison.

Iroh patted his shoulder. "You'll see her again."

Zuko buried his face in his hands. "I'm so stupid! I told her I cared about her, but then I attacked her. And she was the one who suggested not to leave me in the snow. If it weren't for her, I would probably be dead right now."

"Love is hard," Iroh said. "But it will get better, I promise." He smiled.

Zuko looked up at him. "How, Uncle? She probably hates my guts right now. She would never want to be with me."

"Only time will tell. Right now, you need to get some rest. A strong man always needs his rest." Iroh smiled.

Zuko nodded and stretched out on the raft. He closed his eyes and soon, he was dreaming about a certain Waterbender.

* * *

><p>The Gang stood at the Palace yard, gazing up at the moon. Thank the Gods there weren't many casualties on for the Tribe, very few men had died, but the entire Fire Nation army had been wiped out.<p>

And of course, everyone was grieveing Yue. But they were all proud of her for what she did. It was because of her that the moon was back in its place, and that the world was in balance once more.

And now, Yue is the Moon Spirit.

Katara sighed. The Northern Water Tribe was saved, Zhoa was dead, and she was back with her brother and Aang. But she couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness off of her.

She went to go stand besides Pakku.

"I have decided to go to the South Pole," Pakku said. "Some of our Waterbenders and healers will aid me. It is time we help rebuild our sister Tribe. Also, I miss your grandmother." He smiled.

"What about Aang?" she asked, glancing over at the young Monk who was standing next to Sokka. "He still needs to learn Waterbending."

"Well, then I guess he'll have to get used to calling you Master Katara."

Katara smiled up at her Master and gave him a bow, which he returned.

She turned as she saw Sokka and Aang come over to her. All her hurt feelings were forgotten in this one instant. She ran over to them and threw her arms around them.

Sokka chuckled. She knew he was still very sad about Yue, but he wasn't crying anymore. "It's really great to have you back sis."

"It feel great to be back," Katara whispered, a tear rolling down her cheeks. Momo started chirping loudly and flew onto her shoulder. She giggled. "I think I missed you the most Momo."

"Hey!" Aang laughed. Katara laughed along with him.

"It's because he can't talk."

"Very funny," Sokka said, jokingly crossing his arms over his chest. Katara laughed and pulled them both into a hug again.

A few days later, we were saying goodbye. Pakku was getting ready to go to the South Pole, and the rest of the Tribe was cleaning up the damage that the Fire Nation had made.

Katara gave Pakku a final hug before she climbed onto Appa with the Aang and Sokka. "Say hi to Gran Gran for me!" she shouted before Appa took to the sky.

They decided to head to the Earth Kingdom to find Aang an Earthbending teacher.

Aang sighed from were he was sitting on Appa's neck. "This feels so great! It's just the three of us, traveling on Appa again."

Katara smiled. "Yeah."

She looked over at Sokka. He hadn't said anything since they had left the North Pole. Usually, their journey's would start out with Sokka's complaining or his sarcastic comments. Maybe even a bad joke here and there.

But this time, Sokka was silent.

They traveled throughout the day and landed in a forest. They immidately started setting up camp. Katara cooked dinner. She had to admit, it felt good to look after the two boys again.

"The food tastes amazing, Katara," Aang said. "I really missed your cooking."

"Thank you Aang. That's very sweet." She looked at her brother. Usually he was the one complimenting her or complaining whenever there wasn't enought to eat. "Sokka, how's your dinner?"

"What?" His head shot up. "Oh, it's great Katara. Thanks." He looked back down at his empty bowl.

Katara frowned. She decided that she would speak to him later. She gathered the empty dishes and cleaned them before sitting down in the circle again.

The Gang stayed up pretty late, telling stories and laughing. Sokka seemed to losen up a bit.

They told her how they helped two rival groups cross a huge canyon called the Great Divide. How Aang helped Sokka through a storm. How they stopped by a fortuneteller, the same one that Katara had been to. How Aang had produced fire with the help of the Deserter, the first man to leave the Fire Nation Army and live.

**(Pretend they already met Jet before Katara was kidnapped)**

Katara, though, told them little about her travels on Zuko's ship.

"It must have been terrible," Aang said. "Being on a ship with that monster."

"Actually, it wasn't that bad," Katara said a little too quickly. But she somehow felt the need to defend Zuko.

"What do you mean? You were being held captive my the Fire Nation against your will."

"It's just. . . nothing." Katara looked down.

Aang frowned but shrugged it off. Soon, long after Aang had gone to sleep on Appa, Katara was staring into the fire they had made. She looked up and saw that Sokka was doing the same.

She got up and sat down next to him. "Hey."

"Hi Kitten." Katara smiled. He hadn't called her that in a long time.

"Are you alright. You've been really quiet lately."

Sokka kept staring into the fire. "I miss Yue."

"I miss her too." Katara hugged him. "What she did was very brave. She'll be remembered til the end of time. And she'll always be watching over us."

Sokka nodded. Katara rested her head on his shoulder. "I loved her," Sokka said.

Katara sighed. "I know. It's alright. I know what it's like to lose someone you love."

Sokka looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "You're not talking about mom, are you." Katara bit her lips, shaking her head. Sokka sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position. "Is it Jet?"

Katara shook her head.

"Do I know him?"

"Yeah."

Sokka thought for a minute. "Alright, I give up."

Katara looked down. She didn't know if she should tell him or not. She didn't know how he would react. He would definately be anger, her being in love with the enemy.

But she needed to tell someone. She couldn't tell Aang because he was too young to know about this stuff. Plus, it would break his heart.

Sokka was her older brother. Even if he would hate her for it, he was the only person she could tell.

"Sokka, if I tell you something, will you promise not to hate me?"

Sokka tapped his chin with his finger. "It depends. . ."

"Sokka!"

He grinned. "I could never hate you, Kat. So tell me, who is it? Is it someone we've seen recently?" Katara nodded. "Don't tell me it's that Han guy that Yue was suppose to marry?" Katara shook her head. "Then who? Come on, give me a hint."

She took a deep breath. "It's a scarred prince who was banished by his father and sent to capture the Avatar."

"Zuko?"

Katara nodded. "Please don't be mad."

Sokka was silent for a while. "I'm not mad," he said finally. "I'm just. . . shocked."

"I was too. Especially when I found out he feels the same way." Katara stole a glance at her brother. He looked to be deep in thought.

"Alright," he finally said.

Katara blinked. Had she heard right? "Alright? That's it? You're not mad at me? You're not going to give me a big lecture on why I shouldn't be in love with the enemy?"

"If I do that, will you really listen to me?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Katara laughed. "Probably not."

Sokka chuckled. "Exactly." He tightened his arms around her. "So, tell me how this happened."

"Okay." Katara took a deep breath. "When I first came on his ship, he wasn't so nice to me. He was always trying to get me to tell him where Aang was. He hurt me a few times. And he. . . Might have. . . Burned me."

"He what?" Sokka shouted.

"But that's a good thing," Katara said quickly. "Because of that, I learned that I had healing powers."

Sokka nodded. "Go on."

"We kept fighting and he lost his temper a few times, but he never heart me too badly. One day, he actually came and apologized to me. He said he wanted us to be friends. I agreed, since I didn't really have much to do, and fighting would only get me hurt more. Then we went to Aunt Wu, the fortuneteller you guys met. More on that later.

"So while we were there, the volcanoe erupted. We could have just left, but I didn't want the town to burn. So Zuko and Iroh pushed all the lava back and saved the town. It was amazing. I have never seen Zuko so strong before. Then one of the villagers mentioned what a powerful bender Zuko was. And it got to me because earlier when Aunt Wu had told me my fortune, she said that I would marry a powerful bender. At first, I thought she was talking about Aang, but when I saw Zuko, my thoughts changed."

Sokka nodded and motioned for her to continue.

"Later that night when we were back on his ship, he gave me mom's necklace back. And I don't know what happened, but I felt something pass over us when I looked into his eyes - "

Sokka snorted. "Cheesy much?"

"Oh, shut up!" Katara playfully punched him. "Anyways, we kinda, almost kissed, but he pulled away. And that's when I realized I had feeling for him."

"Alright," Sokka said. "But how do you know he has feelings for you?"

"Because he told me."

Katara continued to tell Sokka about everything that has happened. It was so much easier to talk now that Aang wasn't around. And Sokka listened without interrupting, though Katara could tell he was struggling to keep from yelling at her.

Katara sighed when she finished. "So. . . You can yell at me now if you want."

"You really like him?" Sokka asked, his voice calm.

Katara nodded. "Yeah. And it's weird because I've never liked anyone this much before. Not even Jet."

"But Katara, Zuko attcked you. After he told you he cares about you."

"I know," she looked down. "But he was just confused. I told him that he could join us. I know there's good inside of him. He just doesn't want to believe it." She buried her face in her hands. "And now I'm all confused!"

Sokka pulled her into a tight hug. "You know," he said, "now that I think about it, there seemed to be something suspicious about you two. The way that you didn't want to leave him at the North Pole."

Katara looked up at him.

"I saw how close your face was to his when we were all on Appa," Sokka continued. "I thought my eyes were tricking me. I just didn't want to believe it. But it's true. You do have feelings for him."

"Are you mad?" Katara whispered.

Sokka shrugged. "Yeah. A bit."

"Then why aren't you yelling at me?"

"Because I know what you're going through." He pulled away so they were eye to eye. "Yue was my first love. I wanted to do everything I could to protect her. And when she died, I was devistated. So I kind of know what you're going through."

Katara hugged him again. "Thank you."

They sat there for a while, staring at the dying flames.

Finally Sokka spoke. "You remember the stories that mom used to tell us? The ones about forbiden love and all that crap."

Katara smiled. "Yeah. You used to hate them so much!"

"That because I was little. Now that I know what love really is, I understand them."

"I really wish mom were here to tell those stories again."

"Me too Kitten." He rubbed her back. "So, Zuko offered for you to run away with him. What do you think of that?"

Katara sighed. "I really don't know. I want to take his offer _so badly_. But I know I have other responsibilities. But if I did run away with him, maybe I could get him to join us. He could give us some valueable information. It would be amazing to have the Prince of the Fire Nation on our side."

"Yeah, it would."

"But that just can't happen. I mean, who would look after you who while I'm gone?" She smiled up at him.

He grinned. "Hey, we've taken care of ourselves this long. We can do it for a while. But your cooking will be missed dearly."

Katara giggled. "So, if I were to go with Zuko, you will be okay with it?"

Sokka hesitated before answering. "If it could get him on our side, I'm all for it. And also, I want you to be happy."

Katara smiled and snuggled closer to him. She was so lucky to have a big brother like Sokka.

"Katara?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you love him?"

The question took her by surprise. She looked up at Sokka to see him watching her patiently. After a while, she shrugged. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Then whatever decision you make, I'll support you."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

Katara wrapped her armsaround his neck.

"Just be careful," he said.

Katara nodded. "I will. I love you Sokka."

"I love you too Kitten."

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><p><strong>There you go! Three updates in two nights! Am I amazing, or am I amazing?<strong>

**I know Sokka is a bit OOC in this, but I want to make him look like a gentle, understanding brother. I hope you like it.**

**I know there wasn't much Zutara in this ch, but there will be in the next! I'm sure you'll like it. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Do I really need this?**

**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi guys! DON'T KILL ME! I know I haven't updated in a while and I am so so so sorry! I've been working a lot on my other stories and I've had a lot of crap to deal with in real life also. High school sucks.**

**But I'm back and hopefully I will update quicker this time. Thank you all for being so patient!**

**KEEP IN MIND: I switched around the order of the episodes in the serires so they will make sense for this story line. Just so ur not confused.**

**Also it's Ours' one year anniversary today (Oct.22)! Why don't u give me a present by leaving a nice, long review. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA**

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><p>Chapter 15<p>

**Katara's POV**

Another two weeks went by and we still hadn't seen Zuko. I had to admit, I really missed him. Sure he was a hotheaded jerk, but I had developed strong feelings for him. I wondered where he was now, if he was alright. What about Iroh? Were they both safe?

Sokka, Aang, and I were traveling the Earth Kingdom, trying to find an Earthbending teacher for Aang. Our final destination is Ba Sing Se where we will join forces with the Earth King to go against the Fire Nation.

We stopped at a few Earth Kingdom colonies on our way. We met Haru and a lot of other Earthenders, but none of them were very capable of teaching Aang. We even met some Waterbenders that live in swamps. Though we loved living with actual civilization, we camped out in the woods alot in order to avoid any Fire Nation people sent to the colonies.

I had my head resting on the side of Appa's saddle as we flew over the land. I hated times like this, where I had nothing to do so I would just sit and let my mind wander.

I really missed Zuko. I wonder if things would have been different if I hadn't just run out on him like that. Maybe I could have talked to him and he would be with us right now as our friend.

The next time we meet, we will probably be enemies.

I sighed and sat up. Aang looked over his shoulder to me and smiled. I returned it. Ever since I had reunited with him and my brother, Aang tried to get even closer to me. And it was kind of sweet. Though it could get annoying at times. But at least he cares.

Throughout the many towns that we have visited, everyone has viewed me as the Avatar's girl. I was a little uneasy about that at first, but I got used to it. We gave these people hope, and that was our goal. People were expecting me and Aang to be together. It was a little too much for me, but Aang seemed to be pleased about it. Whatever keeps him on track, I will happily oblige to.

Plus it gets my mind off of Zuko.

"How much longer are we going to keep flying?" I ask Aang.

"Not much longer. I'm just trying to find a good place to land."

I nod and leaned my head back against the saddle.

**Zuko's POV**

We finally hit land and I jumped off of the raft. "Finally! I thought we were going to spend the rest of our lives on that thing."

Uncle stumbled off, using a tree to steady him. He stretched his back, a look of pain coming over his face. "Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver can make one so tense?"

I sighed and helped him up. "So what are we going to do now?"

"I think I saw a town a few miles away. Maybe we can stay there for a while. But right now, I say we camp out and get some rest."

I nodded. "I'll go hunt."

After my uncle made a fire, I took out the dagger that he had given me years ago and set out to look for food. The years I had been banished, I had become good with setting traps. Before long, I caught two rabbit squirrels and was heading back to camp.

I can't believe it had been three weeks. Three weeks since we left the North Pole on that stupid piece of wood, three weeks since I had seen Katara.

I sighed. Ever since we parted, she has been the only thing on my mind. Uncle would make small talk with me, but he was wise enough not to mention her. But we usually stayed quiet, and that was when my thoughts would wander.

I wonder how she was doing. She probably never even thought about me, except when she worried about me showing up again. She had her brother and her Avatar boyfriend back.

I saw the way he looked at her. He would probably make her far more happier than I ever would.

I got a little lost while I was walking. I tried to look for the fire that we had made, but didn't see it. Sighing, I sat down on the ground. I'll take a five minute break before I continue. I closed my eyes for a few seconds.

And they shot open when a heard a familiar growl. My heart sped up. I jumped to my feet and looked at the sky.

Sure enough, there the sky bison was, soaring over the forest. I saw it land not too far away. I contemplated following it, but Uncle was already worried enough.

I shook my head and continued on. I found Uncle a few minutes later. We skinned and cleaned the meat before cooking it. After we were done eating it, Uncle declared he was going to get some sleep. I made sure he was snoring before I got up.

As I looked down at him, I saw he was smiling a little. I took the extra blankets that I had and draped it over him. Then I set out. There was only one thing on my mind:

_Katara._

**Katara**

We landed in the woods a few minutes later. I sighed. Oh how I missed sleeping on an actual bed.

Sokka and Aang unpacked Appa as I cooked dinner. I was making kimodo chicken, as well as something vegetarian for Aang.

"Wow, that smells good," he said, siting down next to me. "Do you need any help?"

I smiled. "No thanks, Aang. Actually, I'm pretty much done." I called Sokka over and handed out the food. Sokka immediately started stuffing his face like a hog monkey. "Some things never change."

"What?" he said with a mouth full of food. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry Sokka," Aang said. Sokka scowled and continued eating.

"So where are we going next?" I asked.

"There this big Earth Kingdom city that's just a day's trip away," Aang said. "I heard they have some pretty good Earthbenders. Maybe I can find a teacher there."

I smile. His enthusiasm is adorable! "Then we better get some sleep so we can arrive there early."

Half an hour later, and Sokka was completely passed out. I shook my head as I cleaned up. I looked over to Aang, who was still wake. "You're not asleep yet?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I'm not really tired."

I nodded. "Still. You should get your rest because we're going to leave early in the morning."

He came over and sat down next to me. After a few minutes of awkward silence, he cleared his throat. "I'm really glad we have you back, Katara. I missed you. A lot."

I smiled. "I missed you too Aang." I gave his shoulder a squeeze.

He shook his head. "No. You don't understand. I thought we would never see you again. I couldn't even start imagining the things that Zuko could have done to you."

"Aang, look at me. I'm here right now aren't I? And I'm fine. That's all that matters."

He nodded. "So Zuko didn't hurt you or anything, right?"

"He didn't lay a hand on me." I didn't dare tell him about the 'thing' Zuko and I had. That would hurt him too much. "Well. . ."

He looked up. "What?"

"He did burn me once. But it's alright," I said as he looked at me in alarm. "It was actually a good thing. I learned that I have healing powers."

His eyes lit up. "Really? That's awesome! You're going to have to teach me one day."

I smiled. "Of course."

He sighed and leaned against Appa. "I'm going to make sure Zuko pays for hurting you and taking you away from us." I bit my lips, not saying anything. Aang looked over at me and smiled widely. "Thank you for staying up and talking to me."

I smiled back. "It wasn't a problem."

He frowned a little. "Just don't leave us again."

I took his hand and squeezed it. "I won't, I promise." And, just to make him happy, I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

A huge grin spread over his face. After saying good night, he climbed onto Appa and was asleep in minutes. He was more tired than he let on.

I sighed and set up my sleeping bag next to Sokka. I laid down and snuggled into my brother's side. He wrapped an around me in his sleep. I smiled and closed my eyes.

* * *

><p>I jolted awake a while later. Looking up, I saw that the moon was still high in the sky. Since I wasn't going to fall asleep very soon, I might as well work on my Waterbending. I carefully pulled out of Sokka's arms so he wouldn't wake up.<p>

I made sure to go to a lake that wasn't too far away from camp, considering what happened last time.

I raised my arms up, the water bending to my every will. Since I had become a master, Waterbending has been so much fun. I did some of the techniques that Pakku had taught me and tried to make some of my own.

I giggled. I was having so much fun that I hadn't realized someone was watching me until I felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around my waist.

I tried to scream but the intruder covered my mouth. I was going to waterbend at them until they brought their face to my ear.

"Tara."

I froze. I knew that voice anywhere. I whirled around and sure enough, there Zuko was. His hair was down and he was wearing all black.

We just stood there for a while, not moving, staring at each other. Then I spoke. "Zuko. . ."

And before I knew it Zuko comes towards me and had me in his arms. Then he was kissing me.

I had absolutely no idea what was going on. All I could remember was that I was kissing him back just as furiously. Zuko growled and pushed me up against a tree. I gave out a yelp of surprise, but didn't break away from him.

I wrapped my legs around his waist as his hands traveled my body. My mind screamed at me to push him away before things get too far. I ignored it for once.

I hadn't realized how much I had really missed him until now. I wanted him to know. I wanted him to know how much it had pained me when we were fighting at the North Pole, how much it pained me to hurt him enough to knock him out.

I let him know that through our kiss, and it seemed he was doing the same thing.

I held his face as his tongue snaked into my mouth, wanting to be even closer to him. He griped my hips as I moaned into his mouth.

Unfortunately, we had to pull away for air a few minutes later. He continued leaving kisses all over my face and neck.

"Zuko," I groaned.

"Hm." He nipped my neck and I had to bite my lips to keep from shrieking again.

I looked down into his amber eyes, feeling myself melt. "You need to stop sneaking up on me like that."

I brought his face back to mine. I swear a saw a smirk forming on his lips. We stayed like that for a while more, our lips molding together perfectly. I didn't know how much time had passed. I didn't care.

Zuko slowly pulled away and looked up at me. "I love you Katara."

My eyes widened and I blinked once. _He loved me?_ "Really?" was all I managed to squeak out.

He nodded. "Spirits, Katara. I love you so much. You have no idea how much. And I understand if you don't feel the same way. But I. . . I love you."

_He loves me?_

I looked into his eyes. Did I love him? I have no idea. But I wanted to be with him. I wanted him to join me and my brother to help Aang overthrow the Fire Lord. I wanted to be at his side when we brought peace to the world.

"I think I might love you too." I kissed him softly.

_He loves me!_

He gently set me on my feet and hugged me tightly. I buried my face in his chest, loving the feeling of him around me. I could get used to this.

"So what do we do now?" I asked. I hated to break the beautiful silence, but that question had to be asked.

"Take my earlier offer." He looked at me. "Run away with me. I promise to make you happy. You really deserve it."

"Zuko, there's nothing more that I would love but. . ."

"But you have to worry about your brother and the Avatar." He sighed and pulled away a bit. "I'm sick of this. I hate this war. I don't want anything to do with it anymore. I don't get why we have to get caught up in this. I know that I'm the prince but. . ."

I looked down and took his hand. "I know what you mean. I hate this too."

"Then come with me! Let the world solve it's own problems. We can go live off on our own."

"I don't know. . ."

"Please." He squeezed my hand. "I promise to make you the happiest person on the planet. We'll go to the Earth Kingdom, I'll get a job. Uncle even wants to open a tea shop there. Hell, I'll even take you to the South Pole to visit your family if you want."

I looked up at him. "Really?"

"Of course." He gently touched my cheeks, connecting our foreheads. "I'll do anything to see you smile."

I bit my lips and looked away. I really wanted to take his offer. But what would Aang or Sokka think. I know I had already talked to Sokka about this, but I couldn't just leave them.

On the other hand, if I go with Zuko, I could learn more about him. Maybe I could get some stuff on the Fire Nation that would help us. And, if I was lucky, I could get Zuko to join us. I knew there was good in him, I just needed to get it out.

I looked up at him. "Do you really love me?"

He kissed my head. "With all my heart."

I smiled. "Alright. I'll go with you."

Zuko grinned and hugged me tightly, picking me up and spinning me around. I giggled, clinging on to him tightly. He finally set me down and crash his lips to mine. I almost couldn't kiss him back because I was grinning so much.

"Zuko," I said when we pulled away, "is it okay if I write a letter or something to Sokka and Aang? So they're not worried about me."

"Of course." He smiled and kissed my head.

I headed back to camp and got out a piece of parchment and some ink and brush. I quickly wrote something down and set it next to Sokka. I smiled as I looked down at him.

I gathered up the things I needed and went back to Zuko. He held his hand out. "Ready to go?"

I nod and take his hand.

* * *

><p><strong>Normal POV<strong>

Aang woke up with a smile, remembering last night. _She kissed me!_

Well, it was just in the cheek, but that was progress!

He hopped off of Appa and looked around for Katara, hoping he could help her with breakfast. But she was nowhere to be seen.

Aang frowned. That was funny. She was always the first one up, making breakfast for them all. Her sleeping bag was empty as well.

He went over to Sokka and shook him awake. "Sokka, get up. Katara's gone."

Sokka yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Calm down Aang. She probably went out to practice her Waterbending or something."

"I don't think so. Look at this." Aang picked up a note that was lying next to Sokka and handed it to him.

Sokka snatched it from him and sat up, reading it.

_Sokka and Aang,_

_I know you guys are probably freaked out right now, but don't worry. I'm alright. Let me explained what happened._

_Yes, Zuko came again. But this time, I chose to go with him. A lot had happened since I had been on his ship, and we had grown close. I believe there is good in him. We just need to get that out. By going with him, I can learn more about the Fire Nation. Things that can help us in this war. We can also get Zuko on our side._

_Please don't hate me for this. We'll probably be long gone by the time you read this. I know we just got back together, but I need to do this, for more reasons than one. Sokka, you know what I'm talking about._

_I'll miss you guys a lot. Please take care. I love you both._

_- Katara_

They were silent when they finished reading. Slowly, Sokka smiled.

His baby sister was out to save the world in her own way. He always knew she'd be clever enough to do this. And hopefully, this will make her feel better.

He knew that she had been missing the fire jerk. He had no idea why. But if Katara was right, and there was good in him, he could join them. They could get some valuable information that could help them end this war.

The jerkbender better not lay a hand on his sister though, or. . .

Aang was the first to break the silence. "What do we do? Go after them?"

Sokka shook his head. "No. They're probably far away now. The best we can do know is move on, try to get to Ba Sing Se as fast as we can. We need to find you an Earthbending teacher quick."

"But Katara's gone! And with Zuko. What if she's in trouble?"

"Did you not read this Aang? She chose to go with him herself. Katara knows what she's doing. This can really help us in the war."

Aang still didn't like it. Katara said that her and Zuko had grown close. How close? Could it be that Katara had feelings for the Fire Prince?

Aang shook his head. No, that was impossible. He was the enemy. Katara would never fall for someone who's nation had destroyed the world. Besides, Katara was his, and that's final.

Sokka rolled his eyes at the young Avatar. He wasn't oblivious of the feelings the little monk had for his sister. As amusing as it was, he didn't know what to think of it.

Shrugging it off, he looked up at the sky. "Please watch over her, Yue. Make sure she's safe."

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><p><strong>Hope this was a decent length. I promise I'll start working on the next ch as soon as I get this one up.<strong>

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	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys. I know I said I would update quicker, but school is evil. Oh well.**

**And it was Eid a few days ago! Eid Mubarak to all Muslims out there!**

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**This ch happens during the first episode of Season 2: The Avatar State**

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><p>Chapter 16<p>

**Normal POV**

The sun was coming up by the time Zuko and Katara had made it back to Iroh. Looking up at him now, she could see the circles under his eyes.

"Did you get any sleep at all last night?" she asked him.

He nodded, though Katara could tell he was lying. "I'll be fine," he said when she gave him a concerned glance. He smiled a little and tugged on her hand.

Iroh had just woken up when they arrived. He raised an eyebrow. "Zuko, you didn't kidnap her again did you?" Though seeing their entwined hands, he thought he had an idea.

"No Uncle," Zuko said. "I'm not interested in capturing the Avatar anymore."

He recalled their plan to live in the Earth Kingdom and forget about the war. As he listened, Katara could tell that there was something forming at the back of Iroh's head. She wasn't sure if it was good or not, but she shook it off.

Iroh's eyes were twinkling by the time Zuko was done. "I'm glad you thought of this. I wanted to tell you the same thing, but I was afraid of what you would say." He turned to Katara. "It is good to see you again, Katara."

She smiled and let go of Zuko's hand to hug him. "It's good to see you too."

Iroh stepped back and sighed. "I don't know about you two, but I could really use some breakfast. Why don't we eat, and then we can talk about what we're going to do next."

They ate in silence, each in their own thoughts. Katara wondered how Aang and Sokka were doing. Had they read her letter? Were they upset that she had left them for the 'enemy'?

She knew that Sokka might be a bit more understanding since they had their talk, but that doesn't mean he'll be okay with it.

She sighed. It was for the good of the world. She'll be with Zuko, and she would learn things that would help them with the war. She will help Zuko turn to the good side. If he doesn't, then she'll just leave him.

But she knew it wouldn't be that easy. She had already fallen hard for the boy.

"Alright, so what are we going to do?" Zuko asked when they were finished. "We have very little money, and the next town is half a day away."

"It doesn't have to be," Katara said.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw it while we were flying over. It's not that far. I could use my Waterbending to make a raft and propel us over there in no time."

"Ugh, I promised myself I would never get on another raft ever again!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Stop being grumpy and whiny and be thankful of your resources." She ruffled his hair.

Zuko scowled and swatted her hand away. She laughed. She loved his hair down. His features were so much kinder without his hair pulled back. He just needed a hair cut. . .

She helped Iroh clean up while Zuko sulked against a tree. "Aren't you going to help?" Katara said.

"What? You're already done. And besides, I have you know. I don't need to do anything." He smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "Sexist pig. You're just my brother."

He stood straight, offended. "I am not! I'm so much hotter."

"Of curse you are, you're a Firebender."

"Very funny. Besides, I don't have that stupid ponytail." Katara raised an eyebrow. "Well, I don't right now."

Iroh watched the two with an amused glint in his eyes. He missed this part of his childhood, and was happy to see his nephew so carefree like this. He saw the look Zuko was giving Katara. That was exactly how he had looked at his late wife.

He sighed and interrupted the two teens. "Shall we set out now?"

"Yes, we shall," Katara said. "Your nephew was just being a pussy."

Zuko growled something and stalked towards the ocean. Katara giggled and followed. Iroh brought up the rear, shaking his head. When they got to the beach, Katara froze a sheet of water and hopped on.

"Don't worry," she said, "it's completely stable. You just need to hold on tight."

"Hold on to what?" Zuko asked as he and Iroh cautiously stepped on. But he didn't get an answer before Katara has started spinning her arms, turbo blasting them off.

Zuko yelped and held onto his uncle. He could hear Katara's musical laughter. He looked up at her. She was so beautiful. The water revolved around her like she was a goddess. The view was breathtaking.

Zuko snapped out of his trance when water splashed onto his face.

"Oops," Katara said, though he could hear the mischief in her voice.

Before they knew it, they had already arrived on the shore. Katara hopped off and helped Iroh.

"Ugh Katara I'm all wet!" Zuko complained. He noticed that Katara and his uncle were completely dry. No fair.

"Oh boo hoo," Katara said. "You're a Firebender. Dry yourself off."

"Firebender, I'll show you," he said under his breath.

And before she could blink, Zuko picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. She squealed. "Zuko, put me down now!"

Zuko grinned. "Nope, this is payback." With that, he pulled her back and threw her into the ocean.

She giggled. "That was very stupid of you, Zuko." She raised her arms forward and a huge wave washed over him.

He scowled. "No fair! When did I say you can use Waterbending?"

"Fight back!"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "No, I'm going to be the better person and put an end to this child's play." He stuck his tongue out at her.

She rolled her eyes and bent the water off of her. Zuko held out his arms. "What about me?"

"Nope. This is for the sexist comment you made earlier."

Zuko sighed and raised his body temperature until he was dry. He looked around for Iroh and saw him sitting on the ground. "Uncle, are you alright?"

Iroh sighed. "I'm alright. My back is just killing me. Let's go to town and see of they can give me a massage."

They made the short hike to town in just a few minutes. The trees were bright with pink flowers, showing a sign of spring coming.

Zuko stayed quiet the whole way, even if Katara tried to make conversation. She wondered if he was mad about what happened before. She knew Zuko overreacts, but she didn't think it was that bad. She made a mental note to ask him later.

They rented a cheap inn and got two rooms in order to save money. Katara thought it would be a bit awkward to ask who was sharing rooms with who, so she assumed she got one to herself.

When they were all settled in, Iroh went to get a massage. Katara didn't know what to do, so she went into Zuko's room and found him sitting on the bed, deep in thought.

"Hey," she said, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he said, not looking at her.

Katara sat down next to him. "It doesn't seem like nothing. You're more down than usual. Do you want to talk about it?" Zuko sighed and nodded very slightly. Katara took his hands in hers. "What's been bothering you?"

He looked up at her with sad eyes. "It's the anniversary of my banishment. It's been three years since I've been home. . . Three years since I have gotten this." He reached up an tentatively touched his scar.

"Zuko. . . I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"I know." He sighed. "I'm really happy that you're here with me right now, and that we can start a new life together. But I wonder if I'll ever be able to get home."

She gave his hands a squeeze. "I'm sure you will. When everything thing is better, you'll be able to go back."

He looked at her. "How do you know."

Katara shrugged. "I just do." She ran a hand through his hair, and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Go to sleep now. You need your rest."

"You too." To her surprise, he pulled her down on top of him so her head rested right below his chin. She sighed as she felt him kiss her head.

She looked up at him and smiled when she saw that he was already fast asleep. She closed her eyes and soon drifted off as well.

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><p>It was morning when they next woke up. After they ate breakfast, Iroh suggested they go shopping in the town near by. Zuko protested, but Katara was eventually able to drag him along.<p>

Zuko leaned against the wall in his usual brooding manner while Katara and Iroh looked around. Iroh laid some shells out on the table. "Look at these antiques. Aren't they beautiful?"

"Uncle, we don't need to waste our money on useless things. We barely have enough for food. And you forget, we need to carry everything ourselves now. We don't have ships anymore."

"What do you think, Katara?" Iroh asked, ignoring his nephew.

Katara smiled. "They're lovely, Iroh. But I think Zuko's right. We need to save our money."

"I'll take this one then!" he declared, holding up the biggest shell.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Just make it quick - "

"Hello brother, Uncle," a cold voice said.

Zuko's eyes went wide. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

They all turned to see a girl dressed in Fire Nation armor sitting on a chair, examining her long, blood red nails. Had she been there all along?

Zuko scowled. "What are you doing here Azula?" He lightly grabbed Katara's wrist and stepped in front of her, as if he was protecting her from this girl. Katara assumed this is his sister.

Azula's eyes narrowed. "Where I come from, we say hello before we start asking each other questions. Have you become so uncivilized already, Zuzu? Must be why your hair is untraditionally open."

"Don't call me that!" Zuko yelled.

"And to what do we owe this pleasure, Princess Azula?" Iroh said before Zuko could burn down the building.

Azula frowned. "Must be a family trait, both of you so eager to get to the point." She turned to Katara, smirking. "And who is this? Come on Zuzu, don't tell me you've taken a liking to water peasants."

Before Katara could open her mouth, Zuko spoke. "She's just someone I found. We use her as a healer, nothing else."

Katara was a bit stung by this, but she kept her mouth shut.

Azula's smirk grew. "I see. Well, I came with a message from home." Katara could immediately tell this wasn't good. "Father has changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of rebellions. He was struck by how treacherous his people could be. Family is the only one you can really trust."

Katara looked at Zuko. She knew that Azula was lying, but Zuko was listening intently.

"Father regrets your banishment," Azula continued. By now, she was standing right in front of Zuko. "He wants you home."

Every eye was on Zuko now. He was looking at the ground. Katara prayed that he wouldn't buy it.

Azula scowled. "Didn't you hear me? You should be happy, excited, grateful!" She smiles. "I just gave you great news."

Without a word, Zuko went to stand by the window. Iroh stepped forward. "I'm sure your brother just needs time to let this all sink in."

"Don't interrupt Uncle!" Azula snapped. She apparently knew that Iroh would try to talk Zuko out of this. She turned to him. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger hawk. I didn't have to come all the way out here to tell you."

Zuko still seemed to be taking this all in. "Father regrets? He. . . He wants me back?"

Azula looked at him with fake sympathy. "I can see you need some time to take this in. I'll come to call on you tomorrow. I'll see you later."

She turned around. As she walked out the door, her eyes lingered on Katara. Katara returned her cold gaze. Azula smirked, and with a wave she was gone.

Katara sighed and turned to Zuko. "Come on. Let's go back to the inn."

Zuko silently nodded, letting her take his hand and lead him back. They all got back and sat in one room. Zuko started pacing. The silence was thick.

Katara finally spoke. "Zuko, you're not really going to fall for that, are you?"

He didn't seem to hear her. He started to smile. "Can you believe it? After three long years, I can finally go home."

"It is unbelievable," Iroh muttered. "I have never known my brother to regret anything."

"Did you listen to Azula? Father has realized how important family is to him. He cares about me!" There was so much hope in his voice, Katara couldn't find the heart to be the one to shatter it.

But Iroh did. "I care about you! And if Ozai want's you back. . . Well, I do not think it would be for the reasons you think."

Zuko turned away. "You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything."

Katara frowned. But before she could say anything, Iroh spoke. "Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem."

Zuko seemed to crack. He turned back to Iroh. "I think that you are exactly what you seem," he said dangerously. "A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother!"

"Zuko!" Katara yelled, standing up. "I can't take this anymore! Don't talk to your Uncle that way. Besides, he's telling you the truth."

For the first time since they got back, Zuko seemed to acknowledge her presence. "What are you talking about? I thought you'd be happy for me!"

"I would be, if you're sister wasn't lying. From what I've heard of Ozai, he's not sorry for anything he's done. What makes you think he's sorry for what he did to you?"

"You know what I think? I think you're just jealous that I actually have a home to go back to."

Her eyes blazed with anger. "Maybe I would too if your people didn't destroy it!" She angrily stalked past him.

"Wait, Katara, I didn't mean that." He ran after her. Iroh shook his head and sighed, letting the teens sort out their own problems.

Katara went to her room and was about to close the door, but Zuko held it open. "Stop. Look, I'm sorry for what I said I didn't mean it." Katara rolled her eyes and sat on the bed. "I'm just going through more emotions than I'm used to. You don't know what being away from home for three years, out at sea, on a wild goose chase can do to a person. I'm just happy I can go home and things can be back to normal."

Katara crossed her arms over her chest. "What about me? Did you come back to me just so you can leave me again?"

"Of course I'm not going to leave you - "

"Well I'm certainly not going to the Fire Nation with you." She glared at him.

Zuko sighed. "I know you really hate it. And I really want to be with you. But I want to go home also. Please, come with me." He took her hands.

"Zuko, you know I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because the Fire Nation isn't my home!" She drew her hands away.

"Please! I'll treat you right, I promise. I'll make sure you won't get hurt in the Palace."

"Because I'm nothing but a slave, right?" she spat.

Zuko winced. "I didn't mean that. The only reason I told Azula you were just a healer was because I know her. She would hurt you just to get to me if she found out you were more than that."

"I still don't know about this."

"Just come with me. I promise to make you happy. And I'll find an excuse to go to the Southern Water Tribe every once in a while to see your family."

Katara sighed. She really didn't want to go to the once place in the world she hated more than anything. The nation that started this war, the nation that killed her mother.

But if she did go, she could find a way to communicate with Sokka and Aang. She could tell them what was going on in the Fire Nation. She could tell them what the Fire Lord was planning.

"Katara," Zuko said, shaking her out of her thoughts. "Say something."

She looked at him. "Are you sure about this? We could go to the Earth Kingdom and start a new life together. Are you sure you want to go home?"

"Yes. And if you don't want to, I understand. But I want to be with you no matter what."

"Then whatever your decision is, I'll support you." She smiled.

Zuko grinned and squeezed her hands. "Thank you." He leaned in and kissed her. "I love you," he said against her lips. She responded by kissing him harder.

Zuko finally pulled away and buried his face in her neck. "I promise, it'll be worth it. I'm going to make you happy."

Katara could only nod.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

**Katara****'s Pov**

I sighed as I packed the last of my clothing into my bags. I still didn't think this was a good idea. Zuko had told Azula that we will be taking up her offer. She had regarded him with a wide smile and said that they will be leaving in a few hours.

I couldn't help but feel like something would go wrong. This was the Fire Princess after all. I have heard many stories about her, and none of were good. I knew Zuko said he would look after me, but I couldn't fend off the uneasy pit in my stomach.

There was a knock on the door. I assumed it was Zuko's uncle, since Zuko usually just barges in. I quickly zipped up my bag and got up to answer the door.

Sure enough, Uncle Iroh was standing on the other side. He gave me a small smile. "May I come in?"

"Of course." I stepped aside to let him in, closing the door behind him. "Is everything alright?"

"I don't know Katara." He sat down on the bed and motioned for me to do the same. He looked at me with tired eyes. "Are you really alright with doing this. Does it not frighten you to go to the Fire Nation?"

I sighed. "Of course it frightens me. I've spent an hour staring at the wall, thinking of all the things that could go wrong. But I don't really have a choice. I want to be with Zuko, and he's so excited to go back. And even if I did change my mind, I have no where to go. I'm sure Aang and my brother are long gone by now."

Iroh nodded. It was silent for a while. I frowned. "Where is Zuko? I haven't seen him in a while."

"He went out on a walk. He needs some time to himself. He's going through too many emotions right now. He can't believe that after all these years, his father is taking him back."

"I guess that's a miracle..."

Iroh looked at me with serious eyes. "Katara, I know why you are feeling uneasy. I don't trust Azula either."

I sighed. "So what do we do? Zuko wouldn't listen to me when I tried to talk him out of it."

"Yes, he wouldn't listen to me either. We're going to have to go with him, and stay close. Be ready for anything that goes wrong. And if anything does, you will stay to help won't you?"

"Of course I will!" I laid a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't think I would just leave you too hanging, did you?"

He smiled and squeezed my hand. "Thank you Katara. Just be on a look out."

"I will."

Just then, Zuko walked into the room. He frowned at Iroh. "Uncle, you're choosing to come with us?"

Iroh smiled and stood. "Yes, I am. Family sticks together, don't they?" He laid a hand on his nephew's shoulder.

Zuko smiled and looked out the window where they could see the Fire Nation ships docked. "After so long, we're finally going home."

Giving me another look, Iroh retreated to his room to get his things. Zuko sat down next to me, taking my hands in his. "Thank you so much for coming with me. I know how hard this is for you. I promise, I'll make you happy."

"I know you will. I have faith in you Zuko." I leaned over and kissed his cheek.

He got up, tugging on my hand. We met with Iroh outside and made our way to the docks. Azula stood on the deck of the ship, ready to welcome us. "Hello Uncle and Zuko. I'm so glad you could make it." Her eyes looked at me for a moment, but she didn't acknowledge me any further.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Iroh suspiciously looking at the soldiers guarding the dock. Azula turned around. "Captain, set a course for home."

"Home," I heard Zuko whisper. He looked to hopeful; I actually believed that he was getting what he wanted.

The captain bowed. "You heard her. We're taking the prisoners home." His eyes widened and he bit his tongue. Azula glared daggers at him. "Princess. . . I. . ."

I looked at Iroh and called a wave of water from the ocean, wiping out most of the guards on my side. At the same time, Iroh threw a fireball at the guards on his side, knocking them into the ocean as well.

I watched as Zuko's face went from hopeful, to confused, to shocked, to angry. His fists lit up in flames and he charged for Azula. Smirking, she swiftly stepped to the side and turned away as two soldiers came in front of her.

"Take care of them for me, will you?" she called over her shoulder.

The two men charged for Zuko, but he was fired up by anger. He quickly knocked them aside, but was swarmed by more guards. I had never seen so much pain behind his eyes. He actually thought he was going home, that he could be with his family again. But the Fire Lord had to take that away from him as well.

This angered me. I looked around the deck and spotted Azula. I ran onto the ship, dodging the soldiers that were too busy fighting with Zuko to notice me.

Azula's back was turned towards me. I called a wave of water from the ocean, drenching her in it. Azula stumbled forward a little, and whipped around to look at me. She looked furious, her make-up running down her face. If it wasn't for the current situation, I would be laughing.

"Fucking peasant!" She shot fire at me, which I easily dodged. She looked a bit shaky, so I thought I would be able to beat her easily. But Zuko did say she was a prodigy.

And she was. She shot fire at me at an astounding speed. I could barely stay on my feet. I could feel a fireball scorching my sleeve, but didn't feel any pain. I quickly looked to my left to see Zuko not too far away.

Azula bent down and dragged her foot across the ground, fire emitting from it. I staggered back, surprised, and lost my footing. I rolled away just in time as she sent another blow at me.

My hair was coming undone, and I was a bit exhausted. It was then that I felt a sharp pain in my ankles and realized that she had burned me. She kept advancing on me. Before I knew, I was pinned to the ground with her holding my wrists.

She looked down at me, a triumphant look on her face. "Did you really think you could beat me? You a peasant, and me the princess of the Fire Nation. When I first saw you, I didn't think you would be this stupid."

I tried to wriggle out of her grip, but she only held on tighter. Her hands grew hotter, it took me everything I had to keep from screaming.

"But I should have known I was wrong when I saw the way you looked at my brother," she continued. Don't listen to her. She snarled. "I know who you are. You're the Avatar's girl. Tell me, do you really think my brother would fall for a water peasant like you? He's an idiot, but I know him. How do you know he's not using you to get to the Avatar?"

Her hands grew even hotter. I couldn't help but scream out.

"Azula!" I heard Zuko's voice call. "Leave her alone!"

I turned my head to look at him, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, and all I could see was white. There was a searing pain in my wrists. I was unconsciously aware of Iroh's hand on my arm, helping me up. My vision was blurred but I could see Zuko and Azula battling in the distance.

Then Azula got into a stance I've never seen before. Sparks were flying off of her fingers, like she was producing lightning. She aimed at Zuko.

And before I could blink, Iroh had let go of me and had jumped in front of Zuko. I called out to him. There was a flash, and when my eyes adjusted, I saw Iroh holding Azula's hand away, glaring at her. He roughly pushed her back, and she fell to the ground.

"Zuko, let's go!" He grabbed Zuko and ran towards me. I tried to move, but fell forward. Zuko caught me and proceeded to carry me away from the ship. Iroh fended off anyone who tried to stop us, and we ran into the woods.

"Zuko, I can walk," I groaned.

"No, you can't. Now shut up."

We, meaning Iroh with Zuko carrying me, must have ran a mile before we stopped. The little town was nowhere in sight. Zuko gently set me down, my back against a tree.

"Katara, are you alright?" I nodded. He took my hands, and his eyes widened. "No you're not, you're hurt!"

I winced. "It's fine," I managed to say. "I'll be fine."

I spotted a stream near by and walked over to it. I placed my hands in the water and let them heal. It was a bit painful, but when I drew them back, only a faint scar was visible. It will fade in a few days.

Zuko sat down next to me and laid a hand on my back. "I'm so sorry. I should have listened. It's because of me you got hurt."

I gave him a small smile. "It's fine Zuko. I understand why. If I was offered to go back home, I would take it without looking into the consequences."

"That doesn't make it better. I still should have listened to you guys." He turned to Iroh. "Uncle, are you alright."

"I'm fine. But you should know that by tonight, Azula will have posted wanted posters of us everywhere. The best we can do is disguise ourselves and get to the Earth Kingdom with as little help as possible."

Zuko sighed. "How are we going to do that? We don't have money, and anyone will recognize me anywhere."

"Not us, Zuko," Iroh said with a small smile. "You and Katara will have to continue on our own. I have my own journey to go on."

"What?" Zuko yelled. "You can't just leave us! Not after what just happened."

Iroh laid a hand on his shoulder. "I promise you, I will see you again. Sooner than you think. I just have some business to take care of. I know you too will be fine. Just take care of her." He looked at me.

I was only half listening. My head was spinning and I felt like I was gonna be sick. I was surprised I was still sitting upright.

Iroh reached into his robe and pulled out a sack that rang with a sound like coins clinking. "I stole some gold from the ship while no one was looking," he said with a sly grin. "This should do you both for a long while."

Zuko blinked, staring at his uncle. "Are you. . . Are you really leaving Uncle?"

Iroh smiled and pulled his nephew into a hug. "It's only for a little while. I promise we'll be together again soon enough."

He let go, and I could have sworn there were tears in Zuko's eyes. Iroh came towards me and pulled me in a hug as well. "Look out him will you. Make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

I could only smile and nod. Zuko took my hand and squeezed it. There was a sharp pain in my head. I cried out.

"Katara!" Zuko shouted in alarm.

"I'm fine. I'm. . ."

The last thing I saw was Zuko stumbling forward to catch me as I blacked out.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi all! I'm sorry this is later than I intended. And it's pretty short. But I hope that won't stop you from reviewing! :)<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Normal POV**

Katara finally woke up and looked around, confused. She was in a cave, the only light coming from a small fire. She could hear the sound of rain pounding outside.

She sat up and groaned; her head was spinning. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see that Zuko was sitting next to her.

"You alright?" He asked.

Katara nodded. "My head's killing me though."

"I know it is. Azula really got you there. I've never seen anybody last against her for that long."

"I underestimated her. You did say she's a prodigy, but I didn't think she's be that good."

Katara tried sitting up again and winced as a sharp pain passed through her abdomen. She clutched it and felt bandages through her shirt. "I didn't realize she hit me there."

"I didn't either. Uncle found them when we were trying to get you to a doctor."

"Thanks for taking care of me." Katara squeezed his hand and frowned. "How long was I out?"

"Only a few days. Here." Zuko handed her a plate of food and a cup of tea. "Eat something before you ask more questions. The tea's not as good as Uncle's, but it's something."

Katara took them and silently thanked him. The tea wasn't really that bad. It wasn't amazing, but Katara thought it was sweet that he would go through the trouble for her.

"Where is Iroh?" Katara asked after a few bites.

Zuko looked down. "He left. He said he needs to take care of something first, and he needs to do it alone. He told me he'll meet us in the Earth Kingdom."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to - "

"It's fine." Zuko smiled. "Uncle promised me he would be back. And he's never broken a promise."

Katara nodded and placed the last bite in her mouth. "Thanks for the food and the tea. They were delicious."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Really? If you think that was good, then you must really be sick."

Katara grinning and playfully nudged him. "Really! It was good. You're actually a pretty decent cook."

"My mother taught me. She grew up as a peasant. I would help her make all the family recipes."

"You mother sounds like a wonderful person. I would like to meet her some day."

He looked at her. "Do you really think I'll see her again."

She squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sure you will. Once all the craziness if over, we can go look for her together."

"I don't think this craziness will ever be over, but thanks." He smiled.

Katara was going to say that once he was Fire Lord, his mother will come back to him herself. But she stopped. This was the whole point of them running away. They wouldn't have to think about the Fire Nation or the Fire Lord or anything.

Katara gingerly touched her sides and winced. She got up. "I'm going to heal the rest of my wounds really quickly. I'll be right back."

Zuko nodded as she ran out of the cave. She walked into the trees that were nearby. Taking off her clothes, she closed her eyes and tilted her head towards the sky, loving the feeling of her element around her.

Only in her under bindings now, Katara looked down at her bandages. They weren't as soaked with blood as she thought they would be. Zuko must have changed them recently.

He had said that she was out for a few days. That means he must have changed her bandages a few times. The thought of him seeing her in only her under bindings made her blush. Thank the spirits she wasn't awake for that.

She pealed off the bandages and looked at her burn. There was a long gash that went from her right side all the way to the middle of her stomach.

Commanding the rain water to form a glove around her hand, she laid it on her stomach. It took some time, but the burns were soon healed. There wasn't even a scar left. She looked at the scars on her wrist and ankles and decided to heal those as well. When she was sure she was feeling all better, she pulled her clothes back on and made her way back to the cave, bending the water out of her hair and clothes

She found that Zuko had cleaned up the food and made a small place for them to sleep. She sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped a blanket around her. She looked up at him and frowned.

"Aren't you cold?"

He shook his head. "I'm a Firebender, remember. I can raise my body temperature whenever I want."

He pulled them both down so they were lying on their back. Katara snuggled into his side. Zuko tensed a bit, but relaxed and pulled her closer. She smiled as she felt him kiss her head.

"Goodnight Zuko."

"Goodnight Kat."

He raised his body temperature to make sure that they were both warm enough. They soon drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

><p>"How did you get us here?" Katara asked the next morning while they were eating breakfast. "I don't think the town is anywhere nearby."<p>

"Uncle helped me steal an ostrich horse. We rode it for a while until it started raining and I found this cave. It's out back right now, but it's shaded from the rain."

Katara nodded. "Where did you get this food? Is there a town nearby."

"Yeah. But there's wanted posters of me and my Uncle everywhere. That's why we have to stay in this cave."

Katara frowned. "So we're going be camping out the entire time?"

"Pretty much."

Katara tilted her head, looking at Zuko. "You know, if I give you a haircut, and you got some Earth Kingdom clothes, they won't be able to recognize you."

Zuko's eyes widened. "What?"

Katara grinned. "Yeah, come on! I think it's a great idea." She grabbed Zuko's arm and pulled him up.

Zuko tried to get away from her. "No way. You are not cutting my hair."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. If we don't, people will recognize you and turn to you over to the Fire Nation. Would you rather get a haircut, or get turned over to Azula?"

Zuko considered that for a moment. "I guess you have a point." He sighed. "Fine."

"Yay!" Katara clapped her hands excitedly. "Where's your dagger?"

"What makes you think I have a dagger?"

"Oh, please. I've seen you play with it a few times. Take it out."

"I hid it. But you're welcome to search me for it." He smirked.

She punched his shoulder. "Perv," she muttered. "Fine then. Be that way."

She went over to her bag that Zuko had gotten and pulled out a dagger. It was blue, with a walrus tooth as a hilt, a symbol of the Water Tribe carved onto it.

"Where did you get that?" Zuko asked.

"Sokka gave it to me for my last birthday. I didn't think I needed it, but I keep it with me anyways." She sat down and motioned him over. "Come on. The sooner we get done with this, the sooner we can leave."

Zuko groaned and sat down in front of her. She grinned and ran her hands through his long hair, pulling on it a little. He winced, looking up at her. "You're enjoying this, aren't you."

"Oh, yes I am. It's revenge for capturing me."

"But you can't say you regret that."

"No, I can't. Now hold still."

Zuko tightly shut his eyes as she took a strand of his hair in her hand and cut it off with the dagger. He cringed. "Not so hard."

"Stop being a baby." She cut another strand out. She continued. "Actually, I think this might be a bad idea."

"Katara!"

"I'm kidding!" Zuko growled something under his breath. Katara just laughed.

She continued cutting his hair. Zuko tried his best not to run away from her. As much as he loved the feeling of Katara running her hands through his hair, he was proud of it's length. The reason he always had it pulled in a ponytail was because his scar was more obvious. He wanted to show that he wasn't ashamed of what had happened. He wasn't ashamed that he had spoken out for what he thought was right.

"Alright, all done," Katara said after a while. She took some water from outside and froze it over a rock so it made a mirror.

Zuko looked at himself. His hair was a lot shorter, but it was long enough to cover his scar. He had to admit, it wasn't that bad. **(His hair is like it was in Crossroads of Destiny.)**

"I hate it," Zuko said.

"No you don't." Katara leaned up and kissed his cheek. The rain had stopped a while ago. "Come on we should get going. We need to get you some Earth Kingdom clothes. Then we'll travel a bit more until we can find a decent place to stay. I'm kinda sick of camping."

"I already have some Earth Kingdom clothes. I figured I would need some, so I snuck them out from the town. I didn't steal them," he added when Katara gave him an accusing look. "I left some money behind."

Katara nodded. "How much money do we have left?"

"A lot actually. I encountered some Fire Nation soldiers on my way to the town. Knocked them out and took some of their supplies. They won't be missing it."

"Well, as long as they're Fire Nation soldiers and not innocent villagers, I'm fine with it." She stood up and dusted her hands off on her shirt. "We should get going if we want to make it to the Earth Kingdom quickly."

Katara went outback to the ostrich horse while Zuko changed into Earth Kingdom clothes. The ostrich horse was a bit startled to see her, but it loosened up once she started stroking its muzzle.

"Ready to go?" Zuko said from behind her, making her jump.

Katara turned to see him in a long green tunic and pants, wearing a small scowl on his face. Katara giggled and messed up his hair. "Aw you look cute!"

He smacked her hand away. "I still hate this."

"Suck it up." She kissed his cheek as he helped her up onto the ostrich horse. He climbed on behind her, snaking his arms around her waist to hold the reins. He squeezed his heels against the animal's side, and it took off down the road.

Katara leaned back and looked up at him, making a face. "I can drive this thing you know? I would drive Appa all the time whenever Aang and Sokka were up too late and were too tired in the morning to do anything."

"I know," Zuko said. "I just like holding you like this." He nuzzled her neck.

Katara took this as a valid answer. She leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

The ostrich horse went at a small gallop for a few hours, then it started walking once it got tired. They passed through a few towns and stopped once to get more water and something to eat.

"So where are we going anyways?" Zuko asked as they continued on. "I didn't really think we'd get this far. Do you have a certain destination in mind?"

Katara thought for a minute. Aang and Sokka were going to Ba Sing Se. She knew that Zuko wanted nothing to do with the war, and she felt bad thinking about it, but this war was going on for a hundred years. It needs to be stopped. Even if they try to ignore it now, it will affect them in the future. Katara already knew that Iroh was on their side. They will find Aang and Sokka and they will talk to the Earth King together. It will be even better to have the Fire Prince on their side.

She knew it will be hard to convince Zuko of this, but she can tell him about her plan later.

"Ba Sing Se," she finally said. "That's where most refugees go. We'll meet up with your Uncle and go there. He could open up a tea shop!" She smiled up at him.

Zuko smiled back. "He would like that. Alright, Ba Sing Se it is."

They traveled for a few more hours, until the sky turned dark. They found a town and searched for a good inn. They finally found one that was decent looking. They left their ostrich horse in a stable, bringing some food for it. They entered the inn together and walked to the front desk. An old lady was sitting there, reading a scroll. Katara smiled a little. The lady reminded her of Gran Gran.

She looked up from her scroll and smiled at them. "Hello there. How may I help you?"

"We would like a room please," Katara said.

The lady's smile grew. "Newlyweds I see. How adorable! Come with me."

"Uh. . ." But before Zuko could say anything, she had whisked them away. Katara looked down at her mother's necklace and sighed, blushing a little.

The lady led them up a flight of stairs and stopped in front of a door. She opened it for them, telling them to come to her if they need anything and all that. Then she went back to her desk, giving them a wink before closing the door behind her.

Katara sat down on the bed and looked around the room. It was much. It was very small, with only one bed, a dresser and a bathroom. But the walls had been painted blue, so Katara loved it.

"This is really cute," she said. "We can just relax here for a while."

Zuko dropped their bags on the dresser. "So why did that lady think we're married? I know that it's odd that we're traveling alone but. . ."

Katara reached up and touched her necklace. "I guess it's because of this. In the Water Tribes, we have a custom of making a betrothal necklace. The man has to carve it himself and present it to his wife when he proposes. My Waterbending Master, Pakku, made this for my Gran Gran. But they were having an arranged marriage and my Gran Gran didn't like that so she left. She gave it to my dad when he was proposing to my mom. This is all I have left of her."

"I'll have to keep that custom in mind." He winked at her, making her blush even more. He rummaged in his bag. "We surprisingly have a lot of money left." He turned to her. "Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?"

She smiled. "I'll love to."

* * *

><p><strong>IMPORTANT QUESTION! PLEASE HELP!<strong>

**So I'm conflicted between making the next ch have a whole lot of romantic crap, like with their kinda first date and all. Should I do that, or just continue on with the plot line? I'm not sure. I bunch of you want to see more romance, so tell me what you think.**

**Don't forget to review! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**AH YOU GUUUYS! I'm so sorry! I know I said updates would be quicker. I lied. I'm so sorry.**

**I've been working a lot on my Camp Rock stories. I don't have much inspiration for this story. But I'm not giving up! I also have a lot ideas for new Zutara stories. It's already hard enough to manage so many stories. AH!**

****But I'm back now. :)****

**This is gonna be Zuko and Katara's kinda first date since you all want more romance. WARNING: I suck at this stuff. :P**

**Disclaimer: If I owned ATLA, Zutara would be canon. As you all know, Zutara is not canon, therefore I do not own ATLA :P**

* * *

><p>Chapter 19<p>

It was late in the afternoon. Zuko and Katara hadn't really done anything. They just stayed in bed all day, in each other's arms. And they were perfectly content that way.

Zuko looked down at Katara, running his hand through her tangled hair. "You know, we're going to get very lazy if we sit around like this the whole day."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, but I like it this way."

"Me too." He kissed her head. "But we'll have plenty of time to do this when we get our own place in Ba Sing Se. And I'm hungry. Let's go out for dinner."

Katara pouted and got up. "Fine."

They didn't really need to get ready since they had nothing nice to wear. Zuko laced his fingers through hers and led her out the door. "I saw a cute little diner when we came here," Katara said. "We could go there."

Zuko nodded. They walked there silently, the lady at the desk giving them a smile as they walked by. Though Katara missed her brother and Aang terribly, it was nice to just be alone with Zuko. They didn't have to talk. They were perfectly comfortable with just being next to each other, not saying anything. Katara loved the feeling of his hand in hers, how he absently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

Before she knew it, the had arrived at the diner. It was small, with tables and little booths by the windows. It wasn't too crowded. There were a few families and some elderly couples.

The waiter led them to a booth in the back. Zuko slid in next to Katara, never letting go of her hand. "This is so cute," Katara said. "It's so nice and quiet here."

"It's the kind of place that Uncle would like," Zuko said, kind of distantly.

Katara squeezed his hand. "Where do you think he is?"

"I don't know. He said there were a few things he needs to take care of, and he needs to do it alone. I just hope he's alright."

"We'll see him soon. And I'm sure he's fine. Iroh can handle anything. He is the Dragon of the West."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"

Katara giggled. "Your uncle loves telling stories while we're playing Pai Sho. And he's told me some pretty amusing stories about you when you were little."

His eyes widened. "What? What did he tell you."

She grinned. "Just a few things."

He scowled. "I'm going to have to have a talk with him."

Before Katara could say anything, the waiter came back to take their orders. Their dinner came pretty quickly. They ate in silence. Katara took a sip of her water before speaking. "So, when we make it to Ba Sing Se, how are we suppose to find a place to stay. I'm sure we won't have enough money by the time we get there."

Zuko blinked. "I haven't really thought about that. Uncle said he wants to get a job at a tea shop. I could help him and soon we'll have enough money to get a place of our own."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "_You_ are willing to work at a tea shop?"

He shrugged, smiling a little. "I would do anything if it means we can be happy together." He kissed her cheek.

Katara took that as a valid answer. "I guess that could be nice. You're Uncle makes amazing tea. Who knows, maybe he'll get a promotion. Or maybe a tea shop of his own."

Zuko smiled. "He would like that."

They finished their dinner and just sat there for a while. Zuko had one arm around her shoulders, his other hand holding one of hers. Katara rested her head on his shoulder. "Zuko? Do you think my brother will be able to visit us once in a while?"

"Of course. I know how much you miss him." He squeezed her hand. "You know, you can send a letter to him if you want. I won't stop you."

Her eyes lit up. "Really? You would let me do that?" He nodded. She leaned over and kissed him lightly. "Thank you so much! I've been meaning to ask you that for a while. I just didn't know if you would get angry or not."

"I won't get angry. I don't want you to worry too much about your family. I promise you, as soon as we get enough money, I'll take you to the South Pole to visit your tribe. I'm sure they've missed you just as much."

She nuzzled his neck. "Thank you Zuko. This really means a lot to me."

He smiled and kissed her head. When he said he would do anything to make her happy, he means it. If she wanted a Panda Lily, he would travel halfway across the world on foot to get it for her.

After a while, they exited the diner. They didn't want to go back to their room quite yet, so they decided to take a walk around the small village. Despite it's size, the place was pretty festive. There were people out on the streets, lights hanging from every building. Children were playing outside, and everyone was oblivious to the fact that the prince of the Fire Nation was walking their streets.

"What do you think all the lights are for?" Katara asked.

"It's probably some Earth Kingdom holiday, though I haven't heard of one around this time when I was studying about them."

Little did they know that the Avatar had been to this village recently.

They came to a little fountain with unlit candles in it. There was no one else around. Katara frowned. "Why are there candles in the fountain?"

"Maybe it's part of the decorations. They just forgot to light them."

"That's a shame. This place would look so beautiful if they were lit."

Zuko smiled, suddenly getting an idea. "Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close your eyes. And don't peak." Katara frowned, but did covered her eyes with her hands anyways.

He made sure she wasn't looking before taking a firebending stance. He shot fire through his fingertips, lighting all the candles and unlit lanterns. Katara felt heat on her face, but she kept her eyes shut just like he told her to.

When Zuko finish, he turned to Katara and took her hands away from her eyes. "You can look now."

Katara gazed at his creation, slightly open mouthed. "Wow."

Zuko smiled and entwined their fingers together. Katara gazed at the beautiful sight before her for a while more before turning to Zuko. She threw her arms around his neck. "This is amazing Zuko. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He held her tightly, loving the way her body fit perfectly against his. They stayed in their embrace for a while more. Zuko reluctantly pulled away. He kissed her pouting lips, caressing her cheek. "It's getting late. We should get back."

Katara nodded. They walked back to the inn silently, both with small smiled on their faces. When they got back to their room, Katara closed the door behind them. She smiled at him. "Thank you for taking me out tonight. I had a really good time."

But he didn't seemed to be listening. He had a glint in his eyes, full of hunger. Before she knew it, Zuko had pushed her up against the wall, his lips hot on hers. She was startled, but gladly returned it. She ran her hands through his now messy hair and pulled away.

"You know, you need to stop pushing me up against things," she said.

He smirked against her skin. "Why? It's extremely sexy."

Katara pushed herself off the wall and walked forward, shoving him down on the bed. She reconnected their lips. His hands ran down her back as she straddled his hips.

Zuko flipped them over so he was on top. His lips trailed down her neck and back again. "You're so beautiful," he whispered against her ear. He kissed her again, opening her mouth with his.

Katara smiled against his lips. This night was beautiful, and she was happy she's spending it with Zuko. The best thing about this night was that his hands always stayed in hers, never letting her go.

* * *

><p><strong>For those of you who are wondering, no they do not do it! God, you pervs.<strong>

**They're date was kinda like Zuko's date with that girl in Tales of Ba Sing Se.**

**I hope you guys liked this. I'm sorry it's short. Just some of that pointless romantic crap you guys wanted. Sorry if it sucked. I'm not good at this. :P**

**IMPORTANT! well not really but it would be good if you read it.**

**I have two ideas for new Zutara stories. But I'm not sure if I should write them because I'm already managing a lot of stories. But I want to talk to you about them.**

**The first one is kinda based on Beauty and the Beast. It's gonna be modern AU. It's gonna be rated T. Might be M later. IDK.**

**The second one is gonna be VERY VERY sad and VERY VERY angsty. It's gonna be AU and it's gonna be rated M.**

**Tell me which one you want to see first.**

**Don't forget to review! **


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ATLA. Don't think I need this anymore.**

**This ch takes place during Zuko alone. Expect this time, it's Zutara alone. ;)**

* * *

><p>Chapter 20<p>

A few days passed and Zuko and Katara had yet to reach Ba Sing Se. They were running low on money, which meant they had little food or water. Katara could bend water out of plants, but it still wasn't enough. And to make it worse, the heat got more and more intense.

But Katara didn't regret going to dinner with Zuko. It was one of the best nights of her life.

Katara awoke from her small nap. She lifted her head off of Zuko's chest and looked around. They were in an area surrounded by trees, riding along a mountain side. She looked over and saw a couple huddled near a campfire. They looked like they were in the same position as Zuko and Katara, but they looked happy all the same. The man smiled at his wife and laid a hand over her swollen belly.

Katara's eyes lit up. They seemed to be traveling on foot; she didn't see an animal nearby. It would be great to travel with these two. But she didn't ask Zuko. She knew he would say no. He was stressed about their money problem, though he didn't show it. No, it would be best if they continued on as they were right now.

She looked up at Zuko to see him gazing off into the distance, struggling to stay awake. She smiled. "You need to rest. I'll take the reins."

"I'm not tired," he mumbled.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes you are. Take a small nap. I'll wake you if something goes wrong."

He tried to protest, but she took the reins away from him. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes. Katara leaned back against his chest. She loves the feeling of his breath on her neck.

She took out her water sack, realizing it's empty. She looked around. There weren't any plants. Just dirt and rocks. She sighed. They're gonna have to stop at a town to stock up. She hopes they have enough money left.

Soon, she sees a small run down village in the distance. "Zuko," she says.

"Hm?"

"There's a town nearby. I think we should stop."

He tensed a little. "I don't know. I don't want to risk anyone recognizing me."

"We don't have any food or water left. And we have very little money. We get something to eat now."

"I'm not hungry."

"Yes, you are Zuko. I could feel your stomach growling for the past hour. And we should give this poor ostrich horse a rest. Let's stop here for a while."

". . . Alright." They went into the town. The streets were deserted, except for a few Earth Kingdom soldiers. They glared at the two as they passed by. Zuko narrowed his eyes. "I don't like the looks of those soldiers."

"They're not gonna do anything," Katara replied. "And if they do, we can kick their butts easily."

They stopped in front of a stall that looked like it sold food. Zuko hopped off, helping Katara down. "Can we get a bag of feed and something to eat ourselves," Zuko said to the owner. The man nodded and retreated back inside.

Zuko glanced at the soldiers. They were smirking, their eyes roaming over Katara's body. Zuko scowled, tightening his arm around her waist and pulling her closer. She gives him a glance, but says nothing.

They hear giggling. The couple look to the right, and see two boys kneeling behind the stall. They smirk, and one of them throws and egg. They don't look back, but they can tell it hit one of the soldiers in the head because they heard screaming. The boys quickly ran.

Zuko could feel the men glaring at the back of his head as they approached him and Katara. He tensed. "Stay close to me," he whispered in her ear.

"Aye, aye captain." She rolled her eyes.

"You throwing eggs at us?" one of them, probably the head, asked.

"No," Zuko growled, not looking at them. _Real tough_, Katara thought. But she as to admit, it's kind of cute.

"Did you see the person who did it?"

"No."

"Is that all you can say?" another one said.

"The egg had to come from somewhere," the first one said.

"Maybe a chicken flew over," Katara suggested.

One of the soldiers laughed until the head one glared at him. The stall owner came back with the food. Zuko reached out for it, but the soldier pushed past him and took the food. "Thanks for your donation," he said. "The army appreciates it." The men laughed and rode away on their ostrich horses.

Zuko scowled, laying a hand on the his of his swords. Katara laid a hand over his. "Don't."

"Those men are suppose to protect us," the stall owner said. "But they're nothing but bullies." He sighed. "I'll get you some more food, free of charge."

"We should get going," Zuko growled.

Katara bit her lips. She could tell he was really pissed that he couldn't do anything about what just happened. Zuko turned, and came face to face with the boy who threw the egg. He had messy black hair that stuck out all over the place, and a big gap in teeth when he smiled. He reminded Katara of Sokka. It made her miss her brother even more.

"Thanks for not telling on me," he said. Zuko hopped onto the ostrich horse without acknowledging him. Katara frowned, but got on behind him.

The kid stepped in front of them. "I'm Lee, let me make this up to you."

"It's fine," Zuko said. "We need to leave now."

"I'll feed your ostrich horse for you." He looked up at them with his big brown eyes. "Come on. My farm is right outside of town." He took the reins and led the ostrich horse to his house.

The farm was surrounded by the screeching of animals. Lee ran to his parents as Zuko and Katara got off.

"Lee, who are these people?" his father asked.

"These two just stood up to the soldiers!" Lee exclaimed. "They're traveling and they look hungry, so I brought them here."

"Anyone who can stand up to those bullies is welcome here," his father replied.

"The real soldiers are out, fighting in the war," his mother said sadly. "Just like Lee's brother, Sen Su." Lee gave them a small smile. "Why don't you come inside. Dinner will be ready in another hour."

"That would be nice," Katara said.

Zuko looked down. "I don't know. We really shouldn't stay."

Lee's mother frowned. "My husband could use some help around the house. Why don't you two work while I make finish making dinner. I'll call you when it's ready."

Zuko knew that they won't give up, and he was pretty hungry. He knew Katara was also, and felt guilty if he declined. So he nodded. "Alright."

Lee's mother smiled and walked back to the house. Katara smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze before following her in. She ruffled Lee's hair as she passed him. He giggled and followed his father and Zuko to a small hut.

"We just need to fix the roof," the older man said. "It won't take too long, now that both of us are working on it."

Zuko stayed silent and did as he was told. These people were being so nice, though him and Katara were just strangers. They wouldn't be so nice if they knew who he really was.

Lee followed them up the latter, but he stayed out of their way. He soon grew bored of just watching. "So where are you from?" he asked Zuko.

"Far away."

"Where are you going?"

"Far away."

Lee sighed. He smiled suddenly. "That girl you're with is pretty. And she smells really nice. Is she you're girlfriend?"

Zuko blushed slightly. "Lee, enough," his father said. "Stop asking the man personal questions."

Lee pouted and looked away. Two seconds later: "So how did you get that scar."

Zuko missed a nail and the hammer hit his thumb. Lee's father shook his head. "Why don't you go inside and see what your mother is doing. You can also clean yourself up a little."

"Aw, alright." He climbed down the latter and ran into the house.

Zuko went back to work. "I'm sorry. It's just been a long week."

"Don't worry about it. I can see how tired you are. Lee shouldn't be prodding you about it. He just misses his big brother. You remind him of Sen Su. But still, a man's past his business."

Zuko looked at him for a second, then went back to work. He was starting to respect this man.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Katara was helping Lee's mother. She offered to set up the table, ignoring the other woman's protest.

"Please, Miss Katara. You don't need to do anything," she said. "I know how tired you both are very tired. You should rest. I can handle this."

Katara waved her away. "Nonsense. You and you husband are kind enough to let us stay here, even though we're complete strangers. It's the least I can do."

Lee's mother smiled. "You two look like you've been traveling for weeks. You must be going far." Katara nodded. "You two make a nice couple. Have you been married long."

Katara blushed a little. "Oh, we're not married. I don't think I'm ready for that yet. No, we're just traveling together."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. You're necklace looks like a betrothal necklace."

Katara touched the pendant tenderly. "It was my mother's necklace. She died in a Fire Nation raid. This is all I have left of her." Her eyes started to water.

"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry." The other woman reached out and pulled Katara into a hug. "The Fire Nation has hurt us all, even its own kind." Katara had the feeling she was talking about Zuko. She pulled away and smiled. "I'll take care of dinner. Why don't you go rest for a while. Would you like to bathe?"

Katara smiled, not knowing the last time she took a bath. "Yes, that would be lovely. Thank you."

By the time Katara was done, dinner was already set up, and everyone was taking their seats. Katara sat down next to Zuko, who was right across from Lee. The kid kept on asking them questions, which Katara answered cheerfully. He was so cute! He reminded her so much of Sokka. Zuko stayed quiet most of the time, unless one of the adults were speaking to him.

"So where are you two from?" Lee's mother asked.

"Far away," Lee said in a deep voice, imitating Zuko.

"Where are you going?"

"Far away," Lee said again. Katara giggled. Even Lee's father gave a low chuckle.

"I don't sound like that," Zuko mumbled.

"Sure you don't, grumpy pants," Katara said. Zuko scowled, but he had to admit, he was growing fond of this boy. "Thank you for the food. It was wonderful," Katara said when they were all finished. She lightly kicked Zuko under the table.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, yes, it was delicious. Thank you. Uh, we should really go now." He grabbed Katara's hand.

Lee's mother frowned. "Nonsense. You're not going anywhere. You two will stay for the night. We have a spare barn that is comfy enough for you to sleep in."

"But - "

"Nope. I will have none of it."

"Uh. . ." Zuko looked at Katara for help.

She smiled and shrugged. "I guess we have no choice. I have learned that you can't argue with this woman."

"I had to learn that the hard way," Lee's father mumbled. "Come on, I'll show you your room."

He showed them where they would sleep, telling them to call him if they need anything before he left. Zuko decided to go take a bath. When he came back, Katara was lying on the hay sack, looking up at the ceiling. He laid down next to her and pulled her into his arms. She smiled and snuggled closer to him.

"These people are being so kind," she said, "yet they haven't met us before today. I wish there was something I could do to repay them." Zuko nodded in agreement. Katara looked up at him. "Why do you want to leave so badly?"

Zuko hesitated before answering. "I don't know. I guess I'm just not used to people being so nice to me. Like, actually being genuinely nice even though they don't know I'm the Fire Prince. I'm just a little uneasy."

"Mm." Katara yawned and kissed his cheek before resting her head on his chest. She was asleep in seconds. Zuko looked down at her, smiling slightly. He was tired, so he closed his eyes. But he just couldn't sleep.

The door to the barn creaked open about an hour later. Zuko prepared to get up and lung for his duel swords, but the clumsy footsteps told him that it was just Lee. He stayed still, his back turned to the child. He heard Lee pick up something heavy, probably his swords. Lee quickly ran out, shutting the door behind him.

Zuko waited a few seconds before opening his eyes. He smirked a little, carefully pulling his arms away from Katara so he didn't wake her. He then followed Lee out into the night.

Katara felt like something weight was missing from her. She's been feeling like that for a while now. She waved it off. Zuko was right next to her. Maybe he turned over or something.

But there was a lack of warmth in the air. It was always warm when Zuko was sleeping next to her, weather he was facing her or away from her. He wasn't here now.

Katara reached out towards him, but only grabbed a handful of hay. Her eyes shot open and she sat up. Zuko wasn't anywhere in the barn. The started to panic, but stopped herself.

_He probably just went to the bathroom. Yeah, that's it. He'll be back any second now._

Katara slowly laid back down, and waited. A few minutes passed and Zuko still wasn't back. Katara got even more worried. She was about to get up and look for him when the door opened.

Zuko stepped inside, putting his duel swords away. He laid back down next to Katara and pulled her into his arms. She looked up at him. "Where were you?"

"Lee came in here and took my duel swords. I followed him and saw him trying to use them on some plants. So I gave him a sword fighting lesson."

Katara giggled. "I really like that kid. He reminds me of Sokka."

Zuko smiled slightly. "He reminds me of myself when I was little. "

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Zuko nodded. "I became interested in swordsmanship when I was ten. My Uncle had gone on a mission to concur Ba Sing Se. He sent me back a knife that belonged to the general who surrendered at the walls."

"Wait, you're Uncle concurred Ba Sing Se?"

"Well, almost."

"What happened?"

Zuko looked away sadly. "My cousin Lu Ten, Uncle's son, was killed in battle. Uncle was devastated, and he couldn't find it in his heart to continue on. So he came back. He's now looked at as a failure in Fire Nation eyes. But he had just lost his only son! He had lost his wife a few years back. How could anyone expect him to continue?"

"I'm sorry." Katara squeezed his hand. Zuko sighed and rolled over to lay on his back. Katara propped herself up on her elbow so she was looking down at him. "Did you sleep at all tonight?"

He shook his head. "I can't. There's just so much on my mind. And I can't stop thinking about my childhood. Like the time my mom left. I promised myself I won't dwell on the because it's too painful. Now I can't stop thinking about it."

"Then don't." Katara trailed one hand down his scarred cheek, the other running through his hair.

"I just said I can't - " Katara silenced him by pressing her lips to his. She was trying to distract him from his thoughts.

And she could tell it was working because he grabbed her waist and flipped them over to he was on top. His mouth devoured her's as she pulled his face closer and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He nipped at her lips, causing her to whimper. He licked her bottom lip and slowly let his tongue slide into her mouth. It startled her a bit, but she didn't pull away. His hands went under her tunic and traveled up her spine, making her shiver. The warmth was back.

_If Sokka finds out what we're doing, he's gonna kill both of us._

They continued on like this for a few minutes before Katara pulled away. She smirked at him. "So, did this make you feel any better?"

Zuko laughed. An actual laugh that Katara has never heard before. It's the most beautiful sound in the world. "Yes, it did."

He kissed her again before laying down on his side. He buried his face in Katara's hair. She soothingly rubbed his sides. Whatever she was doing worked, because soon, Zuko was asleep.

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><p><strong>There's the romance that you guys wanted so much. The drama's gonna start next chapter. ;)<strong>

**Don't forget to review! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

***Excuse for long wait at the bottom.**

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**Hate on this story again. But honestly, I don't care. I have way too much shit going on in my life. This thing is very minor.**

**Thank you to all of you who have supported this story. It means the world to me. I know the wait has been long, and the story has gotten boring, but I promise I will make it up to you. I have a lot in store for this story. So much that I'm pretty sure there is going to be a sequel. **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own A:TLA**

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><p>Chapter 21<p>

It has been a day since they left Lee and his family. The journey seemed to drag on to Katara. She grew tired of the sun beating down on her. She even grew tired of the ostrich horse. But she knew that it would be worth it in the end.

She knew that Aang and Sokka were heading to Ba Sing Se. She could feel it. She would reunite with them. She will convince them that Zuko has changed. She will convince Zuko to teach Aang Firebending, and help them defeat the Fire Lord.

She knew she was betraying Zuko in a way. She promised him that they would forget about this war, and happily live together in Ba Sing Se. But she couldn't turn her back to her duty to Aang, to her duty to the world.

She groaned and leaned her head back against Zuko's shoulders. "Ugh, how much longer is it going to take?"

Zuko smirked against her hair. "Patience is a virtue, Katara."

"That is the biggest bullshit I have ever heard. You're the most impatient person I know, Zuko. Even more impatient than my brother, and I didn't think that was possible."

Zuko feigned being hurt. "I'm shocked you would think so lowly of me, Katara."

Katara giggled. Zuko smiled at the sound, and kissed her cheek. "I'm sure we'll be there soon. We've traveled pretty far. I just wish we had enough money to find a better mode of transportation. No offense to the ostrich horse."

"Hm, maybe we'll run into more Fire Nation soldiers we can mug."

Zuko look down at her. "You know, I've always seen you as the goody-two-shoes type. You continue to surprise me."

They traveled for a few hours more before they decided to set camp by a small creek. Katara was more than thrilled to get off of the ostrich horse.

They let the animal rest and drink from the stream while they filled up their canteens. Katara cooked what little food they had.

"We're gonna need to stop in the next we see so we can get some supplies," she said. "I don't think we have that much money either."

"Actually," Zuko said, "I managed to sneak some gold out of Zhao's ship. I've been saving it for emergencies. I'll use it if we run out of regular money. But I don't think we'll have to. Ba Sing Se shouldn't be that far off."

Katara stood in the water, gazing up at the darkening sky. "I hope it rains. I haven't been near that much water in a while."

Zuko made a face. "I hate the rain. It makes me feel useless."

Katara frowned. "But you can still Firebend in the rain, can't you?"

"Yeah, but I still don't like it."

Katara rolled her eyes, and flicked her wrists. The next thing he knew, Zuko was drenched. He stumbled back in surprise. Katara doubled over in laughter.

Zuko wiped the water from his face and glared at her. "Dammit Katara." Just as he dried himself, Katara splashed him with more water. He dried himself off, and got drenched again. "That's it!"

Zuko ran forward and tackled her. Katara shrieked as they both fell back into the creek. Katara couldn't stop laughing. "You idiot, now you're even more wet!"

"Shut up." He pulled her against him and kissed her neck.

Katara leaned back against him. "You dork."

They hear trees rustling and the sound of hooves on the ground. "Who's there?" a rough voice called.

Zuko and Katara's eyes widened, all playfulness gone. They quickly got up, Katara bending the water out of their clothes. "Let's get out here," Zuko said.

They ran to their ostrich horse, who was panicking and making noises that didn't help their situation. But it didn't matter because in a few seconds, they were surrounded by Fire Nation men on kimono rhinos.

Zuko narrowed his eyes at them and protectively stepped in front of Katara. If they weren't in this situation, she would have thought it was cute. "What do you want?" Zuko asked.

"What are you two doing camping out here?" the bulkiest one said.

"I asked you first."

"Don't play games with me boy. I know this girl is a Waterbender. We just wanted to know what you two were doing."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Our mother is sick and we're going to the nearest town to get medicine for her. There's no reason for you to oppress us. Leave now, and I won't hurt you."

The men laughed. "How stupid do you think we are? We know you're Prince Zuko. You're traitorous face is well known all over the world. And we saw the girl Waterbending. And we heard you fall in the stream, and you're all dry."

Zuko's hands closed into fists. "What do you want from us?"

"Isn't it obvious? The Fire Lord has a high prize for your head. He'll give us a fortune if we turn you in dead or alive. And Waterbenders are to be taken prisoners. But we have other things in mind for this cutie." His ugly face turned into a smirk.

Zuko's anger boiled and he shot a wave of flames at them. "Don't touch her!"

Then everything happened in a blur. There was fire everywhere. Katara tried to stay close to Zuko, but he was soon lost in the smoke. Katara backed up, only to collide into a strong chest. She quickly whipped around to find herself looking up at one of the men's disgusting face. He smirked and reached for her, "Hello there."

Almost without thinking, she raised her arm in an arch above her head. Water splashed onto the man's face, and she froze it there. The man fell to the ground. She knew that it would most likely suffocate him, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She had to find Zuko.

She scanned the whole place, and finally spotted him. He was in a heated battle with one of the other men. Katara saw the bulky leader creeping up behind Zuko, his giant sword raised. Katara called more water from the stream and knocked the man aside with it, freezing him to the tree.

Zuko was barely able to glance at her before another on of them pounced on him. He hated that Katara was the one who had to protect him. It should be the other way around. But he couldn't waste time worrying about her. He knew that she could take care of herself.

The only one left was the one fighting Zuko. Katara couldn't help but feel that something was off. She swore that there was one more.

She felt someone breathing down her back. She turned around, but wasn't fast enough. The man raised his knife and plunged it into her shoulder. Katara screamed.

Zuko turned his head to the sound, his eyes filled with fear. He turned just in time to see Katara on the ground, clutching her left shoulder, trying to crawl away from the man. He called out to her.

The man shot a ball of fire at her. Katara rolled to the side, but the flames had singed some of her skin along with her clothes.

Zuko kicked down the man he was fighting and ran to Katara right as the man raised his knife again. "You bastard, I said don't touch her!"

He charged at the man and tackled him to the ground, elbowing him in the face. A satisfying _crack_ assured him that his nose was broken. Zuko released all his anger at the man. He kicked him in the groin and kneed him in the face. After a few more blows, the man fell back, unconscious.

Zuko would have probably killed the man if Katara hadn't found the strengths to stand up and pull him back. Zuko grabbed her arms and pulled her towards him. "How are your injuries? Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"I'm fine," Katara said. "We should get out of here. They can wake up any second."

"You need to heal yourself first."

"Zuko, we don't have much time. I'm fine. I can heal myself later."

"No, now. I don't want you losing anymore blood."

Knowing she wouldn't be able to win this argument, Katara turned away from him and knelt down my the stream. She shrugged her shirt down a little so she can get to her wound easier. She gloved her hand with water and laid it on her shoulder until the blood was gone, and the wound was healed. Not even a scar was left behind.

"What about your burn?" Zuko asked.

"I'm getting there." Katara rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

When she was done, she stood up to see that Zuko had packed up all of their things back onto the ostrich horse. They left as quickly as they could.

After riding for an hour or so, they finally set up camp again. The ostrich horse was probably the most tired of all of them. Once they got off, they just sat there in silence.

Katara knew that something was bothering Zuko. He had his eyes closed, his head leaning back against a tree. He hadn't said a word since they left the unconscious soldiers. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but decided to wait. He'll tell her himself.

As if reading her thoughts, Zuko looked up at her. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He wrapped his arms around him. Katara rested her head on his chest. "How are your wounds? Did you heal all of them."

"Yes, I did. And what about you? Did you get hurt?"

"Just a few scratches. I'll be alright."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Go to sleep. It's been a long day."

"Do you want to tell em what's been bothering you first?" She looked up at him.

"Not really."

She pulled away from him slightly. "Zuko, I'm serious. Tell me what's wrong."

He sighed. "Well, what just happened got me thing."

"About. . ."

"You're not gonna like it."

"Just tell me, dammit!"

Zuko grinned at her, but it disappeared quickly. "We're definitely in danger where ever we go. There's probably wanted posters of me everywhere. My father has put a price on my head. And since you're with me, it'll bput you in even more danger."

"So. . . "

"Those men saw that you were with me. When they regain consciousness, they will report back and tell them that you are traveling with me. There will be a search for you also. I don't want to put you in that much trouble."

Katara frowned. "What are you saying."

Zuko touched her cheek lightly. "We'll have to split up."

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><p><strong>IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!<strong>

**Not really, but I would like you to read it.**

**HEY GUYS! I'm super duper sorry for taking so long to update. I have a whole list of excuses, and they're all right here:**

**1) I was working on my other stories.**

**2) I was studying for finals for like two weeks.**

**3) I've been watching a lot of anime. The one that I'm hooked with the most is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. IT'S AMAZING! You guys should really watch it. It's great. But let me warn you, you will be balling your eyes out the whole time.**

**Don't forget to review. I know that this chapter was boringish. I promise it will get better.**

**Thank you to all of you who have stuck with this story. I love you all!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey guys. Sorry this was so late. I was planning to write right after I got back from my trip. But I got really, really sick. But I'm feeling better, so you can expect more.**

**But keep in mind: I have a shitload of make-up work to do. And school is ending in like two months, which means final exams are rapidly approaching. But once summer starts, I'll dedicate all my time to writing.**

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**Thank you to everybody who reviews! They make me so happy. If you guys see something off with the plot, or with my writing style, please feel free to inform me. I wanna be a writer when I grow up, and I can use all the help I can get. :)**

***This episode happens during The Chase. I'm gonna skip a bunch of stuff because you guys already know what's gonna happen.**

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><p>Chapter 22<p>

_"We have to split up."_

Katara backed away from him. "What?"

"It's the only way I can make sure you're safe," Zuko said.

"No, this is crazy. I'm _not_ going to leave you."

"Please, try to understand. There's a price on my head. Danger follows wherever I go. You need to get back to your brother and the Avatar, where you'll be safe."

Katara crossed her arms over her chest. "Danger follows them as well. Aang is the _Avatar_. He has way more of a chance at getting attacked than you have."

"Yes, but they'll actually be able to protect you. Me. . . I don't know. I don't trust myself."

"But I trust you, Zuko." She laid a hand on his arm. "I know you'll keep me safe."

"But I'll know for a fact that you're safe when you're with your brother. Please, Katara. Do this for me."

Katara shook her head. "I'm sorry, Zuko. But I can't do that. I don't want to be away from you. We've come this far. It won't be long before we get to Ba Sing Se. We'll be safe there for sure."

"And we can get attacked a hundred times before we actually reach the city. We don't know how many more Fire Nation troops are lurking around, and we'll easily be outnumbered. It's just the two of us. Even if we are powerful benders, it won't take long for them to overpower us."

"We'll figure out a way. We always do. You shouldn't underestimate our powers."

Zuko growled in frustration and grabbed her shoulders. "Please, try to understand this, Katara. If something happens to you, if you get hurt in any way, I'll never be able to forgive myself. I need to know for sure that you are safe."

Katara angrily pushed his hands away. "You're so fucking selfish, Zuko."

He frowned. "What?"

"You're just thinking about how you feel, and you never once considered how much worry I would have to go through. I'll have Sokka and Aang with me, but you're out here on your own. All I'll be thinking about is you, and whether you're alright, or not. It'll kill me not knowing where you are."

"Trust me, I hate it just as much as you do. After what we've been through together, I want nothing more than to have you by my side. But if that means putting you in constant danger, then I don't want it. I love you Katara, but I can't see you get hurt again. You've already been through too much shit in your life."

"We both have," Katara replied. Zuko didn't say anything. Katara castes her gaze to the ground. "So our whole journey would have been for nothing?"

"No, that's not true." Zuko took her hands in his. "Tell you what, if you go with your friends, I promise to meet you in Ba Sing Se. Like you said, it can't be that far away. I'll find my uncle, and I'll meet you there. We'll be able to be together then."

Katara considered it. It didn't sound like too much of a bad idea. She could tell Sokka and Aang about Zuko, how he was a different person now. They could help her to get him to give them some leads that will help them win the war. He said he wanted to forget all of this, what better way to forget it, than to end it?

Katara still didn't like the idea of leaving him. She had grown so accustomed to him over the long months they had been together, from him kidnapping her so long ago, and taking her on his ship, to where they were now. She knew that Zuko meant well, and it was really sweet that he cared about her safety so much. And he promised they would be together in the end, so what was there to lose?

Katara sighed. "Alright. If you think it's best, then we'll split up. But you have to promise me that I'll see you again, and that we'll be able to be together."

Zuko smiled. "We will, I promise. And if we don't meet soon, I'll tear down the whole world, looking for you." He pressed his lips against hers before pulling her into a hug.

Katara wrapped her arms around his waist, clutching onto him. She tried to melt into him, memorizing his every touch, and every scent. Zuko held her equally as tight. "I don't want to part from you," she whispered.

"Me neither."

They stood there for the longest time. The sun had long since gone down. Finally, Zuko pulled away, and placed a kiss on her forehead. "We'll find somewhere to stay for the night," he said. "I want you to go to your friends the second you spot them."

Katara nodded warily. She had no idea where Aang was. For all she knew, he could be a hundred miles away. In fact, she found herself hoping for that. It would give her more time with Zuko.

Zuko gave her a small smile, and kissed her head once more before leading her to the ostrich horse. Katara got on behind him. She rested her head on his back as they ostrich horse started to move. She hadn't realized she was so tired until now. Zuko caressed her hand with his thumb.

They were silent the whole trip. Just as Katara was about to fall asleep, a roar rumbled through the sky. Katara's heart sped up. She knew that sound anywhere. They were nearby.

Her grip on Zuko tightened. He looked back at her for a second, and stopped the ostrich horse. They both looked up at the sky, just in time to see Appa fly over. Katara could tell by the way he was flying that he was very tired. They were definitely going to be landing soon.

Zuko noticed this as well. They watched as Appa disappeared below the trees. He got off the ostrich horse, and helped Katara down. "Well, I guess this is where we part," he said.

Katara clutched onto his arm. "No, wait. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you."

He stroked her cheek. "I don't want to leave u either. But I promise, we'll see each other again. I'll make sure of it. But I need you to be safe. I'll never be able to forgive myself of anything happens to you."

Katara stepped closer to him. "Come with us. We can still go to Ba Sing Se together."

Zuko shook his head. "I don't think your friends would approve very much if they were forced to travel with me. I know they hate me for taking you away from them."

"They'll learn to deal with it. I'll make them."

"I don't think it's a good idea. Besides, I still have to find my uncle. I won't enter the city without him."

Katara closed her eyes and threw her arms around his neck. "Just promise me that _you'll_ be safe."

He rubbed her back. "I promise." Katara wanted to hold onto him for a while longer, but he pulled away, giving her a small smile. "Go. They shouldn't be too far off."

Katara stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his very quickly. Then, reluctantly, she stepped out of his embrace, and ran into the forest, trying hard not to look back. After she was sure had had ran a reasonable distance, she stopped to catch her breath.

It was now that she allowed her tears to fall. When Zuko had first captured her, all Katara had thought about was escaping, going back to Sokka and Aang. And now, all she wanted to do was run back into his arms. It made her chuckle. They had come so far.

Don't get her wrong, she loves her brother. And she loves Aang also, but not the way people expect her to love him. She was suppose to help Aang save the world, and she was suppose to be with him. She was the one who had rescued him from that iceberg. She was the first girl he had seen in a hundred years. It was natural for her to end up with him.

But Katara had already given her heart away. No matter how she had acted around Zuko throughout their journey, she wanted to deny her feelings for him. She had told herself it was for the rest of the world. By getting close to him, she would bring him to their side. He was the Fire Prince after all. He knew ways that would lead them straight to the Fire Lord. He could help them end this terrible war.

But now, she could see how much he cares about her. She no longer wanted to hold herself back. She wanted to throw herself at him. She was hopelessly in love with him.

Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe she hadn't told him that. He had told her that he loves her many times, but she had never said it back. She was confused about the way she felt for him. She wanted to hold herself back. She felt like shit now.

She wanted to run back to where she had come from, run into Zuko's arms and tell him that she loves him. But she heard voices in the distance. Familiar voices. She kept running forward, and they grew louder, and louder.

She could hear her brother, and there was the voice of another girl as well. As she got closer, she could see a small fire burning. She sped up.

"Sokka!" she cried.

Her brother looked up, thinking he was imagining his sister's voice. He knew that he missed her too much. But when he saw her running towards him at full speed, his eyes widened, and a grin spread out over his face. "Katara!"

Katara threw herself into her brother's arms, burrying her face in his shoulder. They weren't the arms that she yearned for, but they still felt warm, and safe, and familiar.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked. "I thought you were with Zuko."

"I was, but some things happened."

Sokka pulled away, and held her by the shoulders, a scowl on his face. "What, did he hurt you? I'm gonna kill him if I find out something bad happened to you."

Katara shook her head. "No, Sokka, it's not like that. He - "

"Katara!"

She turned to see Aang coming towards her. She smiled and gave him a hug. It lasted too long for her liking. "Aang, it's good to see you again," she said, after pulling away.

"How did you get here?" he asked. "Did you escape from Zuko?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. He let me leave. I'll tell you the whole story when I've caught my breath." She turned to a girl that was standing out to the side. The girl was much smaller than Katara, with short black hair, and eyes that seemed to be staring at nothing. She was wearing green Earth Kingdom clothes. Her feet her bare.

Katara extended a hand towards the other girl. "Hi, I'm Katara, Sokka's sister, and Aang Waterbending Master. Are you his Earthbending teacher."

The girl looked at her, and nodded. Something in her gaze made Katara a little nervous. "I'm Toph. I heard a lot about you, but I didn't think I'd be meeting you so soon."

Katara smiled at her. Toph just stared back. Katara frowned, and dropped her hand. Aang nudged her. "She's blind," he whispered.

"Oh." Now she just felt stupid.

Toph's eyes widened, her toes curing in. "Shit, they're back."

Sokka groaned. "Not again! All I want is some sleep. Is that too much to ask for?"

"That's impossible," Aang exclaimed. "I was sure we put enough distance between us."

Katara frowned. "Who's back?"

"Some creepy thing that has been following us around all night," Sokka said. "We haven't been able to get any sleep."

"I say we take them down," Toph growled.

"I don't know," Katara said. "You guys seem pretty tired. I don't think you'll be able to fight well in this condition. We should leave."

"But Appa's exhausted. He won't be able to fly any longer," Aang said.

"No, but maybe we can find a place high enough to land," Sokka said. "Someplace where that thing can't find us."

Aang sighed. "Alright everybody get on." Appa made a noise of protest. Aang rubbed the sky bison's head. "Sorry boy. This is the last time I'm gonna wake you up. Promise."

As they rose to the sky, Katara looked back to see a plummet of smoke coming towards them. It was coming from what looked like a big machine. Her heart filled with worry. She hoped Zuko was alright.

Aand hopped into the saddle next to her. "So how did you find us."

"I saw you fly over us. Zuko said it would be best for me if I went with you for now. He's considered a traitor in the Fire Nation, and there's a price on his head. He says it's not safe for me to be with him, that you guys will be able to protect me better. But he told me that he'll meet me in Ba Sing Se."

"Well, that's where we're heading to right now. We can use that as a place to rest, since that's where most refugees go. We're also hoping to meet with the Earth King so we can discuss plans to overthrow the Fire Nation."

Katara sighed before continuing. "There's something you guys need to know. Zuko wants nothing to do with this war anymore. He's not a threat to us. That's why we were going to Ba Sing Se. So we would never have to worry about it. But I know that this war is something we will never be able to forget.

"I really think Zuko can help us end this. We just need to speak the right words to him to get him fully on our side. He knows the Fire Nation better than anyone. He can be our key to stopping the war. But I need you guys to help me convince him to come with us on our journey."

Aang's eyes lit up. "That's great, Katara! It would be cool to have Zuko as an ally instead of an enemy. I once told him that we could be friends. I hated him for taking you away from us, but you seem to trust him, so I'll trust him as well."

Katara smiled. "Thanks, Aang."

"And he'll be able to teach me Firebending as well."

"Right."

"I don't know," Sokka said. "I'm still not happy with him for taking you away again."

"Oh come on, Sokka. I chose to go with him this time. I was trying to get close to him so we could get him on our side. He's not so bad once you get to know him."

"I don't want to know him," Sokka growled. He sighed. "Whatever. We'll discuss this in the morning. Let's just focus on getting sleep."

They landed on top of a mountain, and got off of Appa. Toph slid to the ground, saying something about being glad she could actually "see" again. Without saying another word, she made herself a tent made of rock, and disappeared inside of it. Katara frowned, disappointed that she didn't help them set up camp. But she didn't say anything. Everyone was already tired enough without her nagging them.

She laid down next to her brother, facing him. Sokka smiled and hugged her tightly. "It's good to have you back, sis. I missed you."

She smiled. "I missed you too, Sokka."

"A lot happened since you left."

"Well I don't think we'll be getting enough sleep anyways, so you might as well tell me."

So he began their story.

* * *

><p>As Katara had predicted, they barely got a few hours of sleep before Toph woke them up again, saying she sensed the machine nearby. This time, Aang decided to face their pursuers, wanting to see what they wanted.<p>

Their pursuers revealed themselves. They were three girls on a big reptile lizard thing that Katara had never seen before. One of the girls looked very familiar.

"It's Azula!" Katara exclaimed.

"Who?" Sokka asked.

"Azula. She's Zuko's sister."

Azula seemed to recognize her as well. She smirked "Well if it isn't my brother's little whore. Managed to escape from him, did you? I was sure you had the hots for him. Oh well. I was hoping to see the pain in his eyes when I burn you to a crisp, but I guess that won't happen any time soon."

Katara scowled. "We should leave," she said, turning to her friends.

"What?" Toph exclaimed. "We can take them. It's three against three. This will be easy."

"Actually, Toph, there's four of us," Sokka said.

"Oh, right, I forgot you were here. You know, no bending and all."

_"I can still fight!"_

"Alright, it's three on three, plus Sokka."

Before her brother could yell at Toph some more, Katara spoke up. "I don't think it's a good idea. That girl is dangerous, and we're in no condition to fight."

"Katara's right," Aang said. "We've encountered these girls before. They're pretty powerful. Let's just leave, and get far enough so that they won't find us so quickly."

So they left, the girls still hot on their tails. They managed to put some distance between them as the sun started to rise. Sokka was groaning out something about never not sleeping before. Toph was grumbling about how they still could have taken down those girls. Katara droned it out. She got that everyone was tired, but their complaining was starting to get irritating.

* * *

><p>Katara had only known Toph for a few hours, and they had not started out well. Toph refused to help set up camp, and this angered Katara even more. Everyone was exhausted, and they would get to sleep faster if everyone helped set up. Toph yelled at Katara about carrying her own weight.<p>

But once again, they saw the smoke from the machine at a distance, and had to take off again. Appa fell asleep in the sky, and they crash landed between some trees, near a river.

Sokka slid off the beast, and curled up on the hard ground. "Alright, forget about setting up camp. Let's just get some sleep."

"It doesn't matter because Toph wasn't going to help anyways," Katara said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know the baby still needed someone to tuck her in at night," Toph sneered.

"How do they keep finding us?" Aang asked, trying to cut the tension. "I was sure we lost them a while ago, but they keep showing up."

"Well Toph is certainly not going to help with that," Katara mumbled.

The Earthbender's temper flared, and she blamed Appa for it all. Long story short, Aang got angry, yelled at his Earthbending teacher, Toph left, Aang and Katara felt bad, Sokka said something about how they were jerks, and they went two separate ways, trying to lead Azula off their trail.

* * *

><p>Zuko journeyed on without Katara, the sun beating down on his head as he sat alone on the ostrich horse. He felt so empty without Katara leaning against him, like some part of him was missing. He missed her scent.<p>

Right as she had disappeared off into the woods, he had wanted to run after her. He tried hard to refrain himself. He was the one who had told Katara to leave. It was for her own good. But now, a part of him regretted it.

Zuko knew that the Avatar had a crush on Katara. He would surely try to pull some moves on her now that he had her back after so long. But Zuko knew that Katara wouldn't betray him like that. Whenever she had talked about the Avatar, her voice had help some sort of motherly love. Not a tone you would talk about your lover with.

He knew that he would see Katara again, and they will live a happy life together, away from the terrible war. He would make sure of it.

Night passed, and day came by. Zuko kept going. He was desperate to find his uncle. He knew he couldn't enter Ba Sing Se without him. And he somehow knew that his uncle will find him himself. Still, he couldn't help but worry. Uncle Iroh was one of the greatest benders Zuko had ever known, but the man can be very careless sometimes, especially if tea was involved.

The sun was at it's highest point in the sky when Zuko came by an abandoned town. Maybe he could rest here for a while.

As he drew closer, he could see two silhouettes facing each other, getting ready for a duel. Zuko decided it was best to avoid them. But his vision adjusted, he recognized the two. The Avatar, and his sister.

If the Avatar was here, it meant that Katara was also. He didn't want her anywhere near Azula. He leapt off his ride, running at the two. He shot a wave of flames at his sister.

Azula jumped back in surprise, but her face twisted into a smirk when she realized who he was. "Zuzu, what a pleasant surprise. Back for your whore?"

Zuko scowled. "Back off Azula."

Azula looked at Zuko, then at Aang. "Oh I see, you're here for the Avatar. I don't think your slut would approve of that very much. It's cruel of you to break her heart like that after what you already did to her."

Aang narrowed his eyes at Zuko. _What had that monster done to his Katara?_ It was bad enough the Fire Prince had taken the love of his life away from him more than once. If he heard that Zuko had done anything to hurt Katara, Aang would tear him apart.

_But that's not what Katara wants_, he told himself. She had said that Zuko hadn't hurt her, that he really wasn't that bad. If Katara was willing to trust Zuko, then so would he.

"I said back off," Zuko demanded.

Azula shrugged. "No thanks. You have actually made this easier for me. Father will be so please when he sees me bringing the Avatar to him in chains, and my traitor brother along with him." She turned to Aang. "I won't kill you. That's an honor that only Father will receive."

Her hands flared up, lighting up her dangerously perfect face.

* * *

><p>They were all there. Azula was trapped. Zuko, Iroh, Katara, Toph, Aang, and Sokka stood in a half circle, surrounding her. Azula's cold eyes slowly moved over every single one of them.<p>

"What do we have here?" she said. "Enemies and traitors all working together. There's no way I can beat you all, right?" She put her hands up. "You win. I surrender."

Everybody stood shocked, not believing that this girl would give up so easily after following them all night, and putting up a good fight. Slowly, Zuko started inching towards his sister.

Iroh narrowed his eyes at her. He stole a glance at the children who were standing besides him. Something seemed off.

Azula raised two fingers and shot them out in front of her, a bolt of lightning shooting out of her fingertips. They ran right at Iroh, and hit him square in the chest. The old man fell backwards a few feet, his body hitting the ground.

The children's eyes widened in fear. Zuko let out a pained cry, dropping to the ground by his uncle's side. The rest of them turned back to attack Azula, but she was no longer there.

While the rest of them wondered where she went, Katara ran towards Zuko. The other's followed close behind. Zuko saw them coming from the corner of his eyes, and glared at them. "Get away from us," he yelled. "All of you!"

Katara was a bit taken aback by his tone. But she couldn't blame him. He had just seen his uncle get shot down by lightning. She attempted to touch his shoulder. He flinch at her touch. "Zuko, I can help," she reasoned.

He shot fire towards them. "Leave!"

Aang grabbed Katara's hand, and tugged on it. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Katara shook him away, and sat down next to Zuko. She tried to look him in the eyes, but he refused to even glance at her. "I can lessen his pain," she whispered. "Please, let me help him."

Zuko nodded. Katara smiled, and gave his shoulder a squeeze. She gloved her hands in water and laid them on Iroh's chest. Some of his tunic had been burnt open. Her hands began to glow, and soon, the wound was sealed.

After a few minutes, Katara sat back, and looked at Zuko. "I stopped the bleeding, and it shouldn't hurt as much. But you should still bandage it up."

"Thank you," Zuko whispered. He squeezed her hand. "You should leave now. We'll be fine."

Katara looked down. "Come with us."

Zuko shook his head. "I can't. I need to spend some time alone with Uncle. It's my fault he got hurt. I shouldn't have let my guard down like that. I need to redeem myself."

Katara frowned. "Zuko. . ."

"We'll see each other again. I promise." He gave her a small smile. "Go."

Katara bit her lips. _I love you_, she wanted to say. This may be the last time she sees him in a while. But everyone is watching, and his eyes are telling her that now is not the time.

Katara nodded and stood up. "I'll be waiting for you," she said, low enough so that only Zuko could hear. Zuko looked away from her. Katara turned, and walked towards her friends. "Let's go."

They ran back to where Appa was. Zuko refused to look back at her, as the beast rose to the sky, and disappeared into the horizon.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

They traveled for many weeks. Katara had mended things with Toph, though she still wasn't happy with the way the other girl acted. But she couldn't govern them all.

After many hardships, Aang had finally been able to move a rock. He and Toph worked restlessly to perfect more techniques. Aang soon began to train blindfolded so he would be able to sense vibrations like Toph could.

With all the Earthbending that Aang had been striving to master, he barely had time for Waterbending. Katara didn't mind though. She was happy to be in the water alone, without Aang drooling over her half-naked body.

The thought made her roll her eyes. The crush Aang had on her was cute and all, but he would never be able to love her and hold her like Zuko could. Aang was just so. . . young. He didn't have half the experience that Zuko had. Though Zuko had been banished from an early age, she was sure he had been with a lot of girls. He was exceptionally handsome, even with his scar. Katara had never asked him how many girls he had been with. She didn't want to bring it up.

They had discovered an underground library where they found vital information that could help them with the war against the Fire Nation. They would share it with the Earth King when they reached Ba Sing Se.

Along the way, they had unfortunately lost Appa. Aang was devastated, but he knew that they had to continue forward. On their journey, they met up with a man, and his expecting wife. They decided to travel with them.

They tried to get tickets for a ferry to Ba Sing Se at a sea port, the man and his wife weren't able to. Aang vowed to get them safely to Ba Sing Se through another, more dangerous path.

They ran into Suki at the port, much to Sokka's delight. She decided to travel with them as well.

The woman who was expecting went into labor in the middle of their trek. Gran Gran had thankfully taught Katara how to deliver babies when she was younger, so the woman was able to give birth to a healthy baby girl with ease.

After a while, Suki decided to take off on her own to rejoin the Kyoshi Warriors. Katara had caught her and Sokka sharing a good-bye kiss from the corner of her eyes. She had to smile. She was glad that he was getting over Yue's death.

**(I'm gonna skip a crapload cuz you guys know what happens)**

Zuko was able to aide his uncle back to health within a few days. He missed Katara terribly, but he knew that he would see her soon. They promised to meet each other in Ba Sing Se, so that's where he'll go.

He told his uncle about how he had ordered Katara to leave and be with her friends since they would be able to protect her better than he could. Uncle Iroh praised his selfless decision, and promised him that they would be in Ba Sing Se in no time.

Zuko found out that his Uncle had been with the Order of the White Lotus, and they had arranged a way for them to get to Ba Sing Se. Throughout their journey, Zuko went back to being the grump he was when he was first banished. Katara wasn't there to keep him in a straight line, and he found himself losing his temper more and more easily.

After many games of Pai Sho, Zuko was finally able to drag his uncle out of his seat so they could get a move on. They ran into many troubles, for Zuko still had a price on his head, and as did Iroh, but they managed to escape with as few injuries as possible.

After about a week, they arrived at a sea port, and Iroh was able to flirt his way into getting them tickets for a fairy that would take them to Ba Sing Se, though it was something that Zuko really didn't have to see.

Zuko sighed and leaned over the railing of the boat, wishing his uncle would stop talking for just one minute. Staring at the ocean, being so close to her element, made Zuko miss Katara even more. He was beginning to regret letting her go.

He had met another boy, Jet, and they had agreed to steal some of the upper class food that the captain and the crew ate, to switch out for the shitty meals the refugees got.

They sat on the deck together with a couple of Jet's other friends. They called themselves Freedom Fighters, whatever that meant.

Jet looked over Zuko. "So what are you going to Ba Sing Se for?"

Zuko shrugged. "For a better start, I guess."

Jet snorted. "Aren't we all? What's your story?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Come on! It can't be that bad." He was going to go on, but a look from the taller Freedom Fighter made him shut up. "Alright, don't talk. You don't have to. Do you know why I'm seeking a fresh start?"

"I don't really care."

Jet ignored him. "I did some things I'm not proud of. You see, my parents were killed in a Fire Nation raid when I was little. It made me cold, it made me turn to hatred. I despised the Fire Nation with all my heart and soul. I still do. But because of my hatred, I did terrible things. And because of my actions, I had lost a girl who I had come to love." He laughed humorlessly. "You should have seen the look on her face when she found out about my wrongdoings. It was heartbreaking. She looked at me with so much hate. . ."

Zuko sighed. He really didn't want to hear this guys sob story.

Jet went on. "She was the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I was a fool to let her go. She was a Waterbender, you know? From the Southern Water Tribe. She was traveling with her brother, and the Avatar." That caught Zuko's attention. He looked up at her. Jet narrowed his eyes. "You heard of her?" Zuko shrugged, and went back to eating his food. Jet smirked. "Man, she was fine. She had an amazing body, and a great ass."

Zuko couldn't take it anymore. He wasn't going to sit around while another man talked about _his_ Katara like she was a piece of meat. He abruptly got up, and walked over to the railing.

Jet frowned. "What's with him?"

Iroh gave him an apologetic smile. "Forgive my nephew. He gets uncomfortable on topics like this."

Jet rolled his eyes. "Is he always this socially awkward?"

"I'm afraid so."

Jet got up, and stood by Zuko. "Look, I'm sorry if whatever I said back there offended you. I thought you would understand since you're a pretty good looking guy. You should have a lot of experience." Zuko looked away from him, but Jet pressed on. "Anyways, that's besides the point. I was hoping you could join us on our journey. I can tell that we both want nothing more to do with this terrible war. But if we unite, we can do great things. We're alike, you and I."

Zuko stepped away from him. "You know nothing about me. There is no way that we're anything alike. I journey alone, only with my uncle."

Jet frowned. "Will you think about it?"

"No." Zuko walked away from him.

* * *

><p>The Gaang had defeated Long Feng, Appa was back with them, and they were finally able to side with the Earth King. They had also run into Jet, much to Katara's dismay. She hadn't forgotten how he had hurt her all those months ago. She was very hostile towards him, though she had helped him recover his memories after the Dai Li brainwashed him.<p>

Katara was soon reminded of the feelings that she had had for that boy those few days that she had known him, and she was greatly saddened by his death. But she couldn't dwell on that. There was much work to be done. The Earth King hadn't even known that there was a war going on right under his nose, for one hundred years.

They were working on plans for an invasion of the Fire Nation on the next solar eclipse. That was the day that the Firebenders would lose their bending abilities for a period of time because the moon would be in front of the sun, their source of energy. They also had to work to get this news to the Water Tribes so they could help out with the invasion as well.

They had received a letter from Katara and Sokka's father, telling them where to meet up. One of them had to stay behind, so Katara suggested that Sokka should go since he was the best with battle strategies. Toph had received a letter from her mother, so she was off to meet with her. Aang had also gotten a letter. It was from a Guru in one of the Air Temples. He had offered to help Aang access the Avatar State.

With everyone gone, Katara was the only one left. Word was received that a few Kyoshi Warriors would be arriving as well. Katara was happy that she would be able to spend more time with Suki. Maybe they could have a girl's day out, like she had with Toph. And maybe Suki could help her with her crisis with Zuko.

Ever since she had gotten to the city, Katara had wanted nothing more than to find him. But she didn't even know if he had made it, or not. Nothing but negative thoughts had been running through her mind.

Katara turned to Momo, who was perched on her shoulder. "All this has really been stressing me out. I heard that there's a new tea shop that has just opened up in the Upper Ring. It's suppose to sell the greatest tea this city has ever seen. Let's go check it out."

_It reminds me of Iroh._

She walked for a few minutes until she came to the shop. There was quite a crowd. She was hungry just by the small in the air. A lady came up to her, asking how many was in her party. She opened her mouth to answer, when a familiar voice caught her attention.

It was Zuko, in green Earth Kingdom clothes with an apron around his waist. He was yelling an order to his uncle, who told him that he was brewing as fast as he could.

Katara stared at him. He looked so cute! She wanted nothing more than to run to him. But she knew that it would be awkward, with all these people here. And she was sure he didn't want their reunion to be in a tea shop. Instead, she would surprise him.

She quickly ran off, back to the palace. She was hoping to run into either Suki, or the Earth King to tell them the news. She went into the throne room to see some of the Kyoshi warriors lounging.

"Hey, have you guys seen Suki anywhere?"

"No, we haven't," the one with the gloomy voice said.

Katara sighed. "I was hoping to talk to her about something. Maybe you guys can help. You see, I've been traveling with Price Zuko. He's really not that bad once you get to know him. And I've spent enough time to know that he can truly be on our side. He's in Na Sing Se right now. You know that new tea shop that just opened up? He and his uncle run it. I think we should invite them here. They'll come if they know that I am here. Then we can discuss plans for the invasion together."

The one in the middle smirked. "I should have known that you would go looking for dear Zuzu."

Katara's eyes widened. She knew that voice. "Azula!"

She got her water ready, but before she could do anything, the girl with the braids, Ty Lee, had knocked her out. They three Fire Nation girls stood over her as her water pooled out beneath her.

"So, my brother and uncle are in Ba Sing Se," Azula said. "I guess it's time for another family reunion."

Some of the Dai Li dropped down from the ceiling. They picked up Katara's limp body, and carried her someplace underground. Katara tried to move, but she couldn't feel her limbs.

They threw her into a tavern filled with ice crystals. If she wasn't panicking, she would have admired the beauty of it. They sealed up the entrance so there was no way out for her. Katara could do nothing but pace around.

After what seemed like hours, the door was finally opened, only to have someone else to drop off. "You have company," one of the guards grumbled.

Katara looked at him, and immediately recognized the man. "Zuko!"

He looked up at her, squinting, as if he was trying to remember who she was. His eyes widened. "Katara?"

* * *

><p><strong>I know this was a bit boring cuz it was a filler, but there's tons more excitement and angst to come! Stay tuned!<strong>


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"Zuko!" Katara rushed to his side, and helped him up. "What happened? How did they catch you?"

"I don't know. Uncle and I were invited here by the Earth King to serve him some tea. But when we got here, Azula had us surrounded by an army of Earthbenders. Uncle got away, but they caught me. How did you get in here?"

"Spirits, this is all my fault."

Zuko frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I saw you at the tea shop just a few hours ago. And I didn't want to approach you like that. I wanted to surprise you, and invite you and your uncle for tea. The Kyoshi Warriors were here, or we thought they were the Kyoshi Warriors. It turned out to be your sister and two of her friends. I told them what I had in mind without knowing, and I led them right to you. I'm so sorry, Zuko."

He gave her a small smile. "It's not your fault. Don't worry about it. Besides, I can't say that I'm complaining much. It's a good way to get us alone." He grinned.

Katara rolled her eyes, and pulled him into a tight hug. "You dork. I really missed you."

He held her tighter. "It's been a long few weeks."

They held each other for a while before pulling away. "So what do we do know?" Katara asked. "How do we get out?"

"I don't think there is any way. All we can do now is wait and see what happens. Knowing my uncle, he would probably seek out your friends, and they will come rescue us together."

Katara sighed. "It's gonna take a while then. They're all out of town. They got messages from all over that they had to attend to."

"They'll get here. I'm sure of it."

Katara sat down against one of the wall, Zuko following in her lead. She rested her head against his shoulder. "It's good to have you back. I know we were suppose to develop a quiet life here together, but with the way things are going, I think it'll have to wait."

"Yeah, I figured that much." He groaned and leaned his head against the wall. "Just when I think things are peaceful, just when I'm actually starting to enjoy my life, my sister comes in, and ruins everything. Just like she always does. She and my father have made it their mission to make my life a living Hell. I thought that in this city, I would be safe from them. But of course, Azula has to diminish every ounce of hope I have."

Katara squeezed his hand. "Well, we don't have to think about that right now if you don't want to. Come on, tell me what you've been up to since we parted."

They spent the next hour or so catching up. Katara told him everything about their journey, from meeting Toph to helping to deliver a baby. The part she left out was the plan they had for the invasion. She didn't think he needed to know that just now.

Zuko told her about his rough journey, how he hated it here at first. He admitted that he had gone back to his old grumpy self when he was parted from her. But he soon got accustomed to life here, and he had started to enjoy it.

Katara bit her lips, not sure whether she should tell him about her plan for him going the Gaang or not. Zuko noticed that something was off, and frowned. "What's wrong."

"It's nothing."

He rolled his eyes. "Katara, it's obviously something if it's making you nervous like that. Tell me what it is."

"I've just been thinking about something. I don't think you'll like it very much."

"Tell me," he repeated.

She sighed, and looked down at her lap. "Well, I've been thinking, with everything that's going on right now, we probably won't have that much of a peaceful future here. There's no way we'd be able to avoid the war now."

"That's not true. If we defeat Azula here, they will probably leave this city alone. We'll be able to live here, and forget about the war."

"We don't know if we'll win this battle, though. My friends are probably miles away, and they have most likely imprisoned the Earth King, along with all the generals. It's only you, me, and your uncle against Azula, her two freaky friends, and an army of Earthbenders. We won't be able to win that way."

"Your friends will come. I know that they can sense when you're in danger. They'll come for you."

"Even if they do come, Zuko, and even if we win, we will never be able to forget about this war. Ever. They will keep coming at this city, especially if they know that you're trying to settle down here. The Fire Nation will keep attacking until it has what it wants. That is what the Fire Nation is like."

"Hey now. . ."

She got up, and glared at him. "Don't you _dare_ try to convince me otherwise. I have seen what they have done. I've seen way too much of it. Did you know that the people of Ba Sing Se had no idea that there was a war going on? For a hundred years, they were kept in the dark, thinking the world was a peaceful place. And know they know of the horrors that have been going on outside of their walls. And it must have been so nice for them, think the world was in peace. They never had to worry about when the next Fire Nation raid would be, never had to worry about how many more of their people would die because of those monsters. Sometimes, being ignorant is the safest way to go.

"But we can't just ignore that. I have made it my duty to do whatever I can to stop this war. I will go to great lengths to make sure that the world falls into an era of peace once again."

Zuko stood up as well. "But that's not your job! It's the Avatar's job. You're just saying this because you've been with him for so long."

"This isn't about Aang! I made it my duty to bring peace long ago. The war has affected me more than you'll ever know. From the time I was little. My mom was killed, and my dad had to go off to fight, and I didn't even know if I would see him again. I had to take care of my entire village! That is not something a nine-year-old should be expected to do, but it was expected of me, because I was head of our Tribe. This war has left terrible scars on me. And it's because of your people. It was your people who killed my mom. It was your people who started this war. It's because of this stupid war that my family fell apart, why millions had to die. What the fuck are you guys trying to accomplish? And why do you have to destroy the world to achieve that?

"And now, you're asking me to forget all this. To forget all the pain in people's eyes, to forget my mother's death, to forget the end of the world. This is something that will stay with us for the rest of our lives, and it will grow worse if we don't stop it. How could you ask me to forget all that, Zuko? You're asking me to forget my mom. The Fire Nation took her away from me. That is something that I will never forgive them for."

She was sobbing. She hated crying in front of other people, but she couldn't help it. The Fire Nation had brought so much pain on everybody. She made it her duty to stop them from the moment she found her mother's lifeless corpse in their igloo all those years ago. She will not turn her back on the world, even if it meant losing the man she loves.

Katara sank to the ground, her head in her hands. She felt a pair of strong arms around her. Zuko held her tightly as she cried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said. "That's something we have in common though." She looked up at him. He gave her a small smile. "You forget that my mother is gone as well. I don't even know if she's dead or alive. But I do know whose fault it is. She's gone because of my father, and my grandfather, and she's gone because of this war. I have Fire Nation blood in me, but even I have suffered."

Katara wiped her tears away, and nuzzled his neck. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Don't be. I was being pretty stupid. I should have known you would have a passionate speech ready to strike me down."

"Actually, I just winged the whole thing." They chuckled. Katara pulled away from him, and smiled. "It's so weird that we're sitting here like this. We've been through so much together. Just a few months ago, whenever I imagined the face of the enemy, it would always be your face."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "My face, I see." He tentatively touched the rough flesh of his scar.

Katara's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. "No, no! Gosh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that - "

"It's okay," he said. "I used to really hate this thing. I used to think that this scar marked me, the mark of a banished prince. I wanted nothing more than to get rid of it. Where ever I went, people would stare at me. I hated it. But that was three years ago. I've grown from then, and I've come to accept the fact that it is now a part of me, and I will never be able to get rid of it."

Katara frowned. "I don't know, maybe you can get rid of it."

"What?"

Katara reached into her pocket, and got out the vile that Master Pakku had given her. Thankfully, the Dai Li hadn't properly searched her. She held it up to him. "This holds spirit water from the oasis at the North Pole. I've been saving it for something special. It should work on you, but. . ."

Zuko's eyes widened. "You would really be willing to waste that on me?"

"I won't be wasting it if it can take you away from the pains of your past. What your father did to you was horrible. No sixteen-year-old should have to live with that. If you want, I'll use it on you right now."

He looked away. "That's really tempting. But. . . I can't."

Katara frowned. "Zuko. . ."

"I'm sure you'll find a bigger, better use for it. Save it, for now. Like I said, this scar is a part of me now. It would be weird to go around without it. I have accepted my past, and I wear it proudly. This scar saved a line of my soldiers, and I wouldn't go back on it for the world." He gave her a crooked smile. "Sorry, but you'll have to look at this ugly face for a lot longer."

Katara smiled, and ran her hands through his short, but spiky hair. "I think you're beautiful." She laid a hand on the scarred side of his face, stroking the rough skin with her thumb. Zuko closed his eyes to her touch. Katara leaned forward, and gently pressed her lips to his scar.

Zuko tensed. She had never kissed him there. He never let anyone even touch him there. It was a new sensation, one that Zuko welcomed.

Katara pulled away from him. "Does it still hurt?"

"No. Most of the nerves on that part are dead. I have very little feeling in that spot. But that felt really nice."

Katara smiled, and kissed his scar again. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer, so she was practically sitting in his lap. She continued to drag her lips down his cheek, and across his jawline. She kissed his scar one more time before planting her lips on his.

His mouth softly moved against hers as his grip on her hips tightened, and her hands wandered through his hair. He tenderly held her face as she deepened the kiss. Her legs were wounded around his waist. One of his hands trailed up to the small of her back, lovingly caressing it with his thumb.

Katara pulled away slightly, her forehead resting on his. "I love you, Zuko."

His eyes widened. "You do?"

"Yes," she breathed out. "I love you. With all my heart and soul."

"I love you, too." He grinned, and kissed her again, this time with more force. He rested one hand on her thigh, and the other on her back as he laid her down on the ground. He hovered over her, trailing his lips from her neck, to her jaw, and back to her own lips. She whimpered beneath him as she hungrily pulled on his hair, sending him on edge. "I love you," he said again. "I love you, and I will make sure that we are together forever. I will end this terrible war so you can be happy, so I can spend the rest of my life with you without having to worry about anything else."

Katara made a low, growling noise, and pulled his face down so it was only a few centimeters away from hers. "I don't care about that right now. Just shut up, and kiss me."

So he did.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi y'all! Thank you all for the awesome reviews I got last chapter. You can expect another update by today or tomorrow! :)<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Zuko?" Katara moaned, pushing a little at his chest.

He nipped her neck once more, at the spot where he knew she liked it the most, before pulling away to peer down at her. "Hm?"

His eyes were full of lust and wanting. It made Katara nervous. She bit her lips. "How far are we going to go with. . . this?"

He paused, his hands stopping the circles they were rubbing on her hips. "As far as you want to go."

Katara blushed, and looked away from him. "I'm not sure. We might never get to be alone like this again. I want the time we have now to be special. But I've never done this before."

He chuckled. "Me neither."

"Really?"

Zuko nodded. "My father always wanted me to have my first time with a whore when I was thirteen. But I refused. Another reason why he thinks I'm a disgrace. After I was banished, I assumed that no girl would want to be with me because of this hideous scar."

"I already told you, you're beautiful." She reached up, and touched his face. "I think I want to take the next step."

Zuko tried to contain his excitement. "You're sure?"

"Yes. I love you, Zuko. I want to do this."

Zuko smiled, and gently stroked her cheek. "You can tell me to stop whenever you feel uncomfortable."

Katara bit her lips, and nodded before Zuko kissed her softly. It was different from all those other kisses. It wasn't hungry and fiery, but passionate, and soft, and full of love. Katara sighed against his lips, and brought him closer, holding his face.

Zuko nipped her softly behind her ear. "I love you," he whispered, tugging at her clothes.

"I love you, too."

Then everything happened at once. Zuko's tongue had snaked its way into her mouth, and his hand was under her shirt, getting ready to pull it off. The cave wall exploded. Zuko and Katara jolted to their feet, straightening out their clothes and their hair. When the dust cleared, Aang and Iroh were standing in front of them.

Katara was the first to recover from the shock. She ran forward, and threw her arms around Aang. "Aang! I'm so glad to see you. I knew you would come."

She tried to get his mind off of what he might have thought she was doing, seeing her and Zuko standing so close together. Zuko looked at her, disappointed at how fast she had run into the Avatar's arms after what they were about to do. He didn't miss the glare that the Avatar sent him, and he made a point to glare back.

Iroh came to him and hugged him tightly. Zuko's arms remained limp at his side. "Uncle, what are you doing here with the Avatar?"

"Saving you, that's what," Aang said.

Zuko sent him a venomous look. Iroh laid a hand on his nephew's arm to prevent him from doing something he would regret. "You go on," the retired general said to Aang and Katara. "We'll catch up."

Aang smiled, and bowed to the master, before turning and leaving down the tunnel he had created. Katara followed him, gazing back at Zuko. She caught his eyes for a few seconds before he turned away. Katara turned away as well.

Iroh waited for them to be out of sight and out of earshot before before turning to his nephew. "So what was happening just now before we barged in?" he asked, his voice serious.

"Nothing, Uncle." Zuko looked away from him.

"Did you have her consent?"

He sighed. "Yes, Uncle, I did. But we didn't do anything, okay? We didn't even come close to it."

Iroh nodded, smiling. "Alright, I'm just making sure you're making good decisions. Even if you did go far, I wouldn't have minded."

Zuko blushed. "Can we not talk about this? The Avatar is right outside."

"Yes, that is another matter we need to discuss." Iroh's voice grew serious once more. "Now that you are here, Azula is here, and the Avatar is here, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Uncle. I promised Katara that I would end the war so she could be happy. But her vision of ending the war and mine are different. She wants to defeat the Fire Nation. I want to stand by them. I still want my father's approval. I don't know how to do that, and make Katara happy at the same time."

"Why are you still seeking your father's approval? I thought you learned from last time."

"I don't know, okay? _I don't know! _I'm so confused right now. Katara said that she loves me, but she left with the Avatar in a heartbeat. Who's to say she won't do that again? I don't want to question her loyalty, but I'm just so fucking _confused_."

"I see. You have come to the crossroads of your destiny, my nephew. Good and evil have always been at war inside of you. It is time for you to choose your path. I will help you down it the best I can, and I know Katara and the Avatar will help you as well. It is time for you to choose good."

Zuko scowled, and looked away from his uncle. What did he know about the path that he should take? Who was he to tell Zuko where to go? Zuko opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, the wall of the other side burst open, and the next thing he knew, his uncle was incased in ice crystals.

He looked at the intruders to see a line of Dai Li parting to make way for Azula. "I expected this kind of treachery from you, Uncle," she sneered. "But Zuko, _Prince_ Zuko, I never thought that you would be so quick to turn your back on your own country."

"Let go of him, Azula!" Zuko yelled.

"I will. But first, I want to have a talk. Is this really what you want? Do you really want to live your life as a traitor, forever being hunted down by your own family? I know you, Zuko, and you're a lot of things, but you aren't a traitor, are you?"

"You and father gave up on me a long time ago. Why should I listen to you?"

"It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself."

"The kind of redemption she speaks of is not for you, Zuko," Iroh said. "Please, don't listen to her."

"Why don't you let him decide, _Uncle_," Azula snapped. She looked back at Zuko. "I need you Zuko. I'm speaking to you as your little sister. I've plotted every move of this day, _this glorious day_ in Fire Nation history. And the only way we win, is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have Father's love. You will have everything you want. You might even get that dream girl of yours."

"Zuko," Iroh said. "I am begging you. Look into your heart, and see what it is that you truly want."

"You are free to choose," Azula said. She signaled the Dai Li to leave, and she exited herself.

Zuko sat down on the spot, his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do. _Azula always lies._ That's what he always told himself. But now, he knew that she was speaking the truth. If he helped them take over this city, he would get to go back home.

_Home_. Back to the Fire Nation, back to the palace, back to his rightful place on the throne as the Prince. His father would take him back, he will love him again. And that's all that Zuko had ever wanted. Those three long years that he had been banished, all Zuko wanted was his father's forgiveness his father's acceptance. And now, he could finally have it.

But it would mean losing Katara. She would never forgive him, not if he betrays her like this. She had just told him that she loved him, and now, she would look at him with hatred once again.

There were two things he wanted in this world. His father's love, along with Katara's.

But there was a way he could do both. He told Katara that he would end this war, and that's exactly what he'll do, when he becomes Fire Lord. He'll end this war, and Katara will be with him. She has to.

He'll take her back to the Fire Nation with him, and she'll be his Fire Lady. Yes, that's what he'll do. He'll side with Azula, and help her take Ba Sing Se. Then he'll return to the Fire Nation as a hero. His father will praise him, and bestow his honor once more. Then he'll ask his father to make Katara his bride. She will loathe him for it, but she'll come to love him in the future. She'll have to.

Zuko looked up, his eyes cold, his shoulders set. "I have made my decision."

* * *

><p>"We have to get out of here quickly," Aang said. "They took Sokka and Toph, along with the Earth King and the other generals as prisoners. We have to get them out before we can do anything."<p>

"Right." Katara couldn't get her mind straight. She hoped that Zuko was alright. She had seen the look of hurt on his face when Katara had run into Aang's arms. The truth was, she was hoping to cover up for what Aang might have seen when he blasted that wall open. She really hoped he hadn't seen her and Zuko sprawled on the ground together. But from the way he was acting, Aang hadn't seen anything.

"Aang," she said. "We have to wait for Zuko. I know he's better now. I'm sure he'll join us. He wants to end the war as badly as we do."

Aang narrowed his eyes. "We'll see. We need to think about getting out of here first."

They felt heat behind them. They turned just in time to see a wall of fire coming towards them. Aang raised up a barrier of earth just in time. There Azula stood, smoke coming off the two fingers that she had pointed at them.

Katara threw a giant wave of water at her from the underground river, which she deflected easily. The fighting went on until she was standing between Aang and Katara, fingers pointed out at both, her eyes going from one to the other.

There was suddenly another blast of fire, and Zuko stood at the center. All eyes were on him, knowing he had made a huge decision.

His eyes went over all of them, resting on Katara the longest. There was something there that Katara hadn't seen before, something cold. He turned to Aang and narrowed his eyes, and it was then that Katara knew he was lost to her.

He shot a ball of flames at Aang. Aang jumped back and deflected it. Azula smirked triumphantly, and went back to attacking Aang. Zuko shot fire after fire out of his fists. His eyes were full of emotions, but Katara couldn't decipher what they were, because the attacks were coming towards her.

With tears in her eyes, Katara fought him off. The man she loved, the man she was ready to give her virginity to. He had betrayed her once more. He had sided with his evil sister, and now, he was lost to Katara forever.

* * *

><p><strong>Two chapters in one day. Bet ya didn't expect that.<strong>

**Looks like Zuzu is going back to his old self. After all he and Katara had been through, after they were about to do IT. Will he ever learn?**

**I'll try to have the next ch up tomorrow, but I can't make any promises.**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Katara tried fiercely to deflect off his attacks, but the pain made her vision blurry. How could he do this to her? After all they've been through. After she told him how much she loved him. After she was about to give herself to him.

"What's wrong, Waterbender?" he said, smirking. "You've lost your rhythm too quickly."

"_Shut up, you bastard!_" She blasted a huge wave at him. Knocking him back. But she wasn't going to show any mercy now. She kept attacking him. "I. Thought. You. Had. Changed!" With each word, she pounded him with a wave of water.

But her movements were sloppy. She had no control over her body. She was putting all of her emotions into her attacks, and she wasn't thinking about them. Zuko quickly regained his composure, and knocked her to the ground. Katara cried out as the fire came in contact with her, singeing the hem of her sleeves, licking a little at her skin. She quickly put it out.

Zuko stood over her, his hands flaring up. His eyes were stone cold, once again holding nothing but hate. "I have changed."

He git ready to strike at her again, but a gust of air blew him away from her. Katara sat on her knees, and watched as Aang angrily attacked Zuko. "Leave her lone, you monster!"

"Aang, watch out!" Katara yelled as Azula snuck up behind him. She threw a wave of water at her, catching her by surprise. She and Aang seemed to be winning. Maybe they could get out of here alive.

There were more explosions, and lots more Dai Li agents. They had Katara surrounded, and there was nothing Aang could do to help her, because he was preoccupied by Azula and more of the agents.

Zuko stood before her. "Stop, Katara. If you come with me now, you won't have to get hurt."

"Go with you? Are you crazy? Why the hell would I want to be with you after what you just did? You're a monster!"

Zuko scowled. "Try to understand! I have to do this. I'll finally have everything I've ever wanted. I'll have my father back, I'll go back home. You should be happy for me!"

"I want nothing to do with you. Fuck off."

Zuko sighed. He had expected his reaction. But he knew that he would have her heart back soon enough. He would show her that he still loved her, and she'll have to love him back. She'll have to.

"Chain her up," he said to the Dai Li. "I'm taking her back with me."

"What?"

Without saying a word, the Dai Li shot forward, and soon had her hands pinned to the ground. Zuko turned away from her, returning by his sister's side to assist her with the Avatar.

"Zuko, you bastard, let go of me!" Katara screamed. He paid her no attention.

Aang looked helplessly up from where he stood. His eyes went over the countless Dai Li agents, the Fire Nation siblings, and over to Katara who was so many feet away from him. There were just too many of them. He knew that they couldn't win like this.

He knew that if he didn't do something quick, he would lose Katara again.

Katara caught his eyes from across the room. There was so much desperation in them. It broke Katara's heart. 'I'm sorry,' Aang mouthed to Katara. He encased himself in a tent of Earth.

Everyone stood confused, wondering if the Avatar had fled the fight or not. Zuko knew that he would never leave Katara, so where had he gone?

A few seconds later, his tent began to glow. The earth began to shake, and the tent exploded. Everyone was thrown back, and Katara was relieved of her bindings. There Aang was, rising about the ground, air swirling around him. His eyes were glowing.

Katara's heart swelled, tears coming to her eyes as she gazed at Aang in awe. He had finally mastered the Avatar State.

Then there was a flash of lightning, and time stood still. Aang was suspended in the sky for a few moments more, in shock. Katara hadn't even seen Azula sneak up behind him. But there she was, a triumphant smirk on her face, smoke emitting from the two fingers she had pointed towards Aang. Aang slowly fell towards the ground, and Katara jumped into action.

She rode a big wave towards him, not caring if she drowned anyone else. There was just Aang, and his lifeless body falling to the ground. No one else. He was the hope for the world. He was hope for her. And now, he's gone.

Katara caught him before he could hit the ground. She gazed down at him, and cradled his body against her chest, tears flowing freely down her face. She looked up to find herself surrounded. Azula and Zuko stood among the endless Dai Li agents. Zuko refused to look at her, but she knew that even he was shocked by what Azula had done. When he did look at her, his eyes were cold again. Katara glared at him, making sure he knew how much she hated him.

They were closing in on her. She knew that there was no way she would be able to get away without ditching Aang's body. And she wasn't about to leave him.

"Go ahead," she said. "Kill me as well. The Fire Nation already took everything I care for. Take my life as well."

Azula smirked. "Oh trust me, if it was up to me, I would burn you to a crisp right at the spot. But I think my brother would like to take you back home so you can resume your job as his plaything."

"I'd rather die."

"Then you can kill yourself the first chance you get. Chain her up," she said to the Dai Li.

Before they could move, there was yet another explosion of fire. Everyone scrambled away, searching for the newcomer. Iroh fired more attacks on them.

"Go!" he shouted to Katara. "I'll hold them off."

Katara nodded. There was only one exit, and it was in the ceiling. Katara stood in the river, Aang's body in her arms, and surrounded herself in a whirlpool of water, raising herself up. Appa was already waiting for them, Sokka, Toph, and the Earth King in his saddle. Katara didn't have to look back to know that Iroh had been captured.

Katara sighed as she laid Aang down on Appa's saddle. She reached towards her neck to touch her mother's necklace, hoping it would calm her nerves at least a little. When all she groped was the skin on her neck, she panicked.

"Mom's necklace!" she exclaimed. "I must have dropped it." She looked at Sokka. "I need to get it back!"

"Are you crazy? They'll get you for sure. I'm not losing you again!"

"Sokka, please," she sobbed. "I promise to be careful. Please. It's the only thing I have left of hers."

"No, we need to focus on Aang."

Katara sighed, and took out the vial that held the spirit water. She was so glad she hadn't used it on Zuko. It was because of that bastard that Aang got hurt.

She flipped Aang on his back, where the his wound was. That was the place that Azula had struck him. She bent the water out of its container, and placed it on Aang's back. It glowed a bright white, and absorbed into his back. Katara hugged him tightly and laid him back down gently before getting up.

"I'm going back. I have to get Mom's necklace back. If I'm not back in two minutes, leave without me." She jumped back into the catacombs.

"Katara, what the hell are you doing?" Sokka reached out to grab her, but it was too late. Sokka swore, and got ready to jump in after her.

Toph held him back. "Don't. They'll get you as well."

"I can't just leave her!"

"Katara's strong. She'll be able to hold herself. She's done it before, you know."

Sokka looked down. "I'm a horrible big brother. I'm suppose to be protecting her. Instead, I let her get captured twice."

Toph pet his shoulder. "We need to look after Aang. Katara healed him with her spirit water. He should be waking up soon."

Sokka looked back down at the catacombs. He could see Katara fighting off more Dai Li her mother's necklace in her hand. He watched helplessly as her hands got chained to the ground. But she kept putting up a fight, until they kicked her in the head, and she blacked out.

Sokka turned away, tears in his eyes that he refused to let fall. "Let's go. We'll get Katara back soon enough. The eclipse is close. We'll get her back."

Appa rode further, and further away from Ba Sing Se.

The Earth King looked back at his city with sad eyes. "The Earth Kingdom had fallen."

* * *

><p>Zuko and Azula stood in the throne room. Zuko's head was full of conflict, wondering why he was feeling so down. The Avatar was gone, he was finally able to go home. So why did he feel this way?<p>

"We've done it Zuko," Azula said. "We've finally taken the Earth Kingdom. The world will be ours. And best of all, you will be able to return home with me."

"But I don't have the Avatar," he said. "What if Father doesn't restore my honor?"

"He will, Zuko. I know it. You are a hero. You have helped us win. Father will love you again."

Zuko looked away. "I betrayed Uncle." _And Katara._

"No, he betrayed you," Azula said in an annoyed tone. "Trust me, Zuko. You are much better off without him."

Before Zuko could answer, the door to the throne room opened, and two Dai Li agents came in, dragging the body of a girl with them. Zuko's eyes widened. He immediately knew who she was.

_Katara. I thought she had gotten away._

The two Earthbenders bowed before the siblings. "Princess," one of them said. "We caught this one sneaking around in the catacombs. She came back for some reason. This was in her hands."

He threw an object at their feet. Zuko recognized it as her mother's necklace. She must have dropped it, and then came back for it. How could she have been so foolish?

Zuko picked it up, and held it tenderly in his hands. He ran his over the stone, before putting the necklace in his pocket.

"What should we do with her?" the other Dai Li asked.

"Don't know, don't care," Azula said. "Put her with Uncle, for now. We'll take her back to the Fire Nation. Father will decide what to do with her."

The two agents bowed again, before taking Katara's body away. Zuko winced as her head almost hit the floor. They weren't really being gentle with her.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't tell me you actually have feelings for that girl."

"What? Of course I don't," he snapped. "I just think that we shouldn't hurt her. She could be our key to winning the Water Tribes. Her father is chief of the Southern Water Tribe. She's practically royalty."

"Hm, true. But I couldn't care less about that bitch. You know, if you ask Father, I'm sure he'll let you keep her as your concubine. Just keep in mind, Mai still has feelings for you. And Father might set plans to get you two married."

Mai. Zuko remembered her. He also remembered having a crush on her. But she was no Katara.

He watched as her body was dragged out of sight, and wondered if she'll ever love him now. Most likely not. But he'll make her.


	27. Chapter 27

**SCHOOL'S OUT BITCHES! And now I have summer school. :P**

**I'll be updating all my stories more frequently, so stay tuned!**

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**I would like to give a huge, HUGE thanks to two of my reviewers: anonymous reviewer Dean is MIIINE and not anonymous reviewer Eightbooksand60cats. Not only are they my Supernatural buddies, but they have given me amazing feedback, and I always love reading their reviews. Also, they defended me against an anon who threw flames at me. Apparently he's Dean is MIINE's brother. But whatever. I am grateful. These two have been amazing.**

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**Oh, and a message to In Your Face:**

**apparently, you're not a thirteen year old white girl.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 27<p>

Katara woke up on a cold surface, her head throbbing. The room she was in was dark, only a silver of light coming through a window that was at least fifty feet above her. Where the hell was she?

She remembers being in a green room full of gems she had never see before. She was looking for her mother's necklace, and she had just picked it up when something hit her over the head. But what was that?

Her hand reached her neck, only to come in contact with rough skin, and not the necklace. Had she dropped it again?

She didn't remember, and her head hurt too much to think about it. But she knew that she couldn't just lie on the ground the whole day. With shaking legs, she got up, only to fall back down. She sighed, knowing it would be no use to stand, and if she tried again, she knew she would puke. She could try crawling, but something told her it wouldn't work out. Maybe she was with her friends, and it was the middle of the night. But why was it so dark? Katara decided to shrug it off, deciding that one of her friends will eventually come in to wake her up.

Katara leaned against something that felt like a wall. She closed her eyes, and leaned her head back against it. She hoped someone would find her soon, or she knew she would go crazy.

After what seemed like hours, she heard a door creek open, and she was met with light. Katara opened her eyes, excited to see one of her friends again, and ask them why it was so dark. Instead she was met with a big man in Fire Nation uniform. He certainly didn't look like any of her friends. Katara immediately shrank back, blinking furiously when he lit up a torch and hung it on the wall.

The man said nothing as Katara stared at him. The only thing between them were bars. And Katara had the feeling that she was the one inside them.

The man dropped the plate of food he had in his hands, and pushed it towards her. "Here. Eat up," he said in a deep, rough voice. "There's no water in case you're wondering. It will come later, and we will bind up your arms and legs, so don't try anything funny."

"Where am I?" she asked. The guard said nothing. "I asked you something. Where am I?"

"Shut up and eat."

Katara decided not to press him. The answer will come to her eventually. Katara didn't want to take food from the Fire Nation, but she was hungry. The time might come when she would have to fight her way out, and she knew she couldn't do it on an empty stomach. So she sat, and gratefully ate the food that was given to her.

It was extremely spicy, and she yearned for water. The guard said he would come in later to give her some. Katara sighed. She had been captured again. It seemed that's all she was able to do. Make her friends more and more worried. How had this even happened?

She wondered who her captor was. They were definitely Fire Nation. She figured that much by looking at the disgusting red colors of the guard's uniform. The last time she had been captured by the Fire Nation, it was by. . .

_Zuko._

Suddenly, her memories came back, and she felt shittier than before. It was because of that bastard that she was in this situation. It was because of him that Aang got hurt.

Aang. He got hurt. Azula had struck him with lightning. He had died. But he wasn't dead.

Katara let out a sigh of relief. Aang was alive. Thanks to her. She wasn't there to see him wake up, but she knew that he had survived. She had made sure of it.

Katara smiled softly. Maybe she wasn't so useless after all. All she could do now was pray to the Spirits that Aang would recover to health quickly, and that all of her friends were safe. There was nothing else she could do.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. The ground beneath her seemed to be moving, and she could sense water nearby. The movements felt familiar, and she knew that she was on a ship. She could try to call on the water and break through the window, but the soldiers made sure to to keep her dehydrated and weak.

After a while, the door creaked opened once more, and the same soldier came back, accompanied by two more guards, a male, and a female. They entered her cell, and Katara shrank away from them. Her eyes darted to the open door, calculating her probability of escaping.

The female guard narrowed her eyes. "Don't even think about it. You're in no condition to run, and if you escape we will catch you, and there will be severe consequences."

Katara sighed, and hung her head in defeat. The two male guards moved behind her, and tied her hands behind her back. One of them laid a hand behind her back, and pushed her none too gently to her knees. She grunted out in pain, biting her lips so she wouldn't look too weak.

The female guard roughly grabbed her chin, and held a cup of water up to her face. Katara drank it down greedily, welcoming the cool sensation as some of it trickled down her chin. It wasn't enough. She needed more. But she didn't dare ask for more.

When it was all done, the guards left her cell, leaving her hands bound. "Hey!" she yelled. "Aren't you going to untie me?"

"No,"one of the males said.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Can you at least tell me where I'm being taken?"

"You're being taken to the Fire Nation," the female said. "There, you will stand trial in front of Fire Lord Ozai. He will decide your fate."

Katara felt a shiver run down her spine. She had never met the Fire Lord, and she had no desire to. She knew that he was a cold hearted, evil man, worse than his father. Worse than his grandfather, Sozin, who was the one who had started the hundred year war in the first place.

What would he do to her? Zuko or Azula will certainly tell him that she was the Avatar's companion. They will most likely have her executed. Or maybe they'll keep her as bait. But for what? For all they knew, the Avatar was dead. There was no use for her anymore. They will most likely execute her.

She didn't want to think about her other options. . . She would not allow it.

Time seem to drag on. Soon, light was seeping through the window. She was taken to the bathroom once, and fed some more, and given water. Of course, her hands were tied the entire time, except when she was eating, and even then the guards were keeping a close eye on her.

It was extremely boring. She tried to start a conversation with the guards, but they only gave her one worded answers, and sometimes, they just completely ignored her. It was quite rude.

Light came and went through her window, but she had lost track of time. All she could do now was wait.

* * *

><p>Zuko stood on the deck of the Fire Navy ship, leaning on the railing, looking out at the ocean. It had been about a week since they had left Ba Sing Se He was finally going home. He would see his father again, after three long years. He was happy, but there was a gaping hole eating away at his chest.<p>

And it didn't help that he was surrounded by _her_ element. The ocean was all around him, and he was bathing in the moonlight. As much as he tried to stop himself, he couldn't help when his mind wandered back to the Water Tribe girl. The girl he was so convinced he was in love with. The girl who had told him that she loved him. The only girl who had looked at him without a trace of fear or disgust in her eyes.

Now he was sure that she loathed him.

Not only had he betrayed Katara, but he had betrayed his uncle as well. The man who was like a father to him. The man who stayed by his side, even when his own nation turned away from him. He most likely hated Zuko as well now.

The two people he had come to care for so much were now rotting three decks below him. He hadn't even gathered the courage to speak to them. Some prince he was.

But they had to understand. The only thing he valued more than Katara's love was his father, and his nation. He's doing it for his family. He's been away from them long enough. Katara will soon come to realize that he had made the right decision. She will love him again soon enough.

A few more minutes passed with him just staring at nothing. Eventually, Mai had come on to the deck, and was standing beside him.

"Aren't you cold?"

"It's been over three years since I was home," he said without looking at her. "I wonder how things have changed. I wonder how I have changed."

Mai rolled her eyes. "I just asked you if you were cold. I didn't ask for your whole life story." Zuko scowled. Mai giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Stop worrying. Everything will be alright."

Zuko finally turned his head towards her, and was met with her lips on his. He didn't pull away, he just kissed her back. Mai pulled away a few seconds later, and gave him a small smile before walking away.

Once she was out of sight, Zuko looked back out at the ocean. The thing he had with Mai happened very suddenly. He hadn't seen her in three years, and when he saw her again, he knew why he had a small crush on her all those years ago.

She had found him on the deck that first night, just like he was now. He told her that he couldn't sleep. She had invited him back to her room for a cup of tea. Zuko agreed, deciding he had nothing better to do. They had talked the entire night. Zuko realized that she was just like him. From then on, one thing led to another, and they began spending more time together.

Mai was also a good distraction from the thoughts that were clouding his mind. But whenever he was with her, Zuko couldn't help but let his mind wander to Katara. How her lips felt on his when she told him that she loved him. He had almost lost his virginity to her.

He sighed. He knew that for now, he would have to stop thinking about her like that. She hated him anyways. He had to focus on what was going to happen when he saw his father again. And then he would put his plans for the future of the Fire Nation into action. And then he'll make Katara love him again.

He hadn't seen her since the guards had dragged her unconscious body out of the throne room in Ba Sing Se. He had heard that she had woken up a few days ago. Since then, he had been at war with his mind, debating whether he should go talk to her or not. He wanted to see her face again, but he knew that it would hold nothing but loathing. Just like it did when he first captured her. But he had to see her again.

Zuko went down to the dungeons, and stopped in front of the door he knew Katara's cell was behind. He opened it and stepped inside, peering beyond the bars at Katara. She was lying down on her side, her eyes closed. She heard the door open and sat up, blinking at the sudden brightness.

Who could possibly be here at this hour? It wasn't time for her meal or a bathroom break. Maybe the guards weren't as decent as Katara thought them to be, and they were back to torture her.

She could make out a tall figure outlined by the light. It had a strong, broad figure, so Katara guessed that it was a man. Her eyes finally adjusted, and the man she saw was someone who she hoped she wouldn't have to look at until they reached the Fire Nation.

Zuko stood awkwardly in front of her cell, not knowing what to say. His mouth opened and closed, trying to form words, but none came out. Katara narrowed her eyes at him, silently asking why he was there.

He sat down in front of her cell, never taking his eyes off of her. The week hadn't been kind to her. Her hair was greasy, and disheveled, her eyes were bloodshot, and her hands were tied behind her back. There were most likely scars on them now. Her clothes were dirty, and torn.

"Hi," he finally managed to say, immediately wanting to kick himself. Katara continued to glare at him. Zuko cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Look, I know you're not happy to see me. I know that it was because of me that you got hurt, and it's because of me that the Avatar is dead."

Katara's eyes widened slightly. _So they really don't know._

"You really hate me right now, and if some outsider was looking at this, they would hate me also. But please try to understand. I only did what was right. Me coming home is the only way this war could truly end. Isn't that what you want?" Katara didn't say anything. "It's not the way you hoped it would be, but now, there won't be anymore bloodshed."

_You're wrong,_ Katara thought.

Zuko fell silent. He sat there for a while, staring at the ground. Katara demanded him to leave with her eyes, but he didn't notice her. Finally, he looked back at her. "You said you loved me. Is that true?"

_Not anymore._

"Well, I guess it's not anymore. But when you said it, was it true?"

_You little bastard. I was willing to give my virginity to you. Of course it was true!_ She kept glaring at him.

Zuko was getting fed up by her silence. She hadn't said a word to him. He would have been fine if she threw a few nasty jabs at him, because at least she would have been talking to him. But the only thing she had done since he had gotten there was glare daggers at him.

Was she going to be like this all the time? She was going to be held in the Fire Nation, and he was sure he knew what his father had in mind for her if he decided not to execute her. Zuko would do everything in his power to convince his father to give Katara to him. But if she refused to speak to him the whole time, then he would go crazy.

"What's wrong with you?" Zuko demanded. "Say something!" Katara said nothing. Zuko sighed and lowered his voice. "Please. I know you're not happy with me. But put yourself in my shoes. For three years, I've wanted nothing but to go home and have my father's love again. And now I'm going to get all that. If you really loved me, you would understand!"

Katara looked away from him. She wanted him to leave. If he didn't, she knew that she would yell at him, and she didn't want him to have the pleasure of hearing her voice. She was going to give him the silent treatment until he slowly grew insane.

Zuko abruptly stood up. "Then you don't really love me! You never loved me. Loving someone means making sacrifices for them. You've never sacrificed anything for me. You're a liar, and you deserve to rot in here!"

He stood up and marched out the door. He slammed it behind his back, startling the two soldiers that stood on guard. They watched, confused, as their prince stormed out of the dungeons, steam visibly coming off of him.

Katara stared at the empty space where Zuko had been seated. He had tried to reason with her, he tried being nice. But then he was out of there in two seconds, throwing hateful words at her just like he used to so long ago.

Here Katara was, thinking that they had gone through so much together, that they had come so far. And Zuko, of course, had to turn around, and ruin it. He would throw Katara away in a heartbeat for his evil family. There was no way she would ever trust him again.

As she pushed all of her feelings for him aside, a tear slipped out of her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>NOTE!<strong>

**Just know that I have nothing against Mai. I really love her, she's one of my favorite characters. I ship Maiko, even though my OTP is Zutara. But Mai is really cool.**

**Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed and has stayed with this story. I love you all! Please keep the reviews coming.**

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**If you ask for a SMALL spoiler, I will give you one.**

**See you guys next chapter.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Omg you guys a semi-kinda-quick update! I'm sleepy as hell, but I'm writing for y'all cuz you make me super happy, and I love reading all of your reviews.**

**My life has been shit lately. The only thing that is keeping me going is the wonderful feedback I get from you guys. I love writing. It's my passion, and I want to do it for the rest of my life. You guys are helping me get there without knowing it. So thank you!**

**Reply to anons:**

**Avatar geek: **Thank you! And honestly, I don't know how long this is going to be. I want it to be at least forty chapters. There's still a long way to go. And there might be a possible sequel. ;)

**O.o: **Thank you! I really like Maiko. I think they're good for each other. Zutara is my ultimate OTP though. But I love Mai as a character. She's so badass and gloomy. She reminds me of myself.

**Dean is MIIINE: **Sorry, not kidding about summer school. It really sucks. I would really love to talk to you more. You should get an account on here.

**I just realized how long this story has been getting. And yet, you guys are still here. Thank you so much!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 28<p>

Zuko laid slumped on his bed, an arm slung across his eyes. It had been a few hours since the last time he saw Katara. He knew that she hated him. He wasn't stupid enough to think that she would still want him after what he had done. But he was hoping to get some words out of her, even if they were hateful jabs. At least he would be able to hear her voice.

He had gone in to visit her a few more times after that night. Each try he got the same response. Silence. She wouldn't even look at him.

He even tried bringing her some food. He knew that the food they had given her was shit, and was hoping that she would at least glance at him. But that proved to fail as well, for her hands were bound behind her back. Zuko cursed as he made himself look even stupider in front of her.

He could try to go in there and untie her, just until she ate, but that wouldn't have been a good idea. The last thing Zuko needed was a punch in the face from Katara.

He flopped his arm down beside him, and sighed. How was he ever going to get her to talk to him. She refused to acknowledge his presence. At this rate, he would never be able to gain back her affection. If that couldn't happen, how was he going to convince his father to not hurt her? She could be useful to them in more than one way.

The door to his chambers creaked open and a dark figure slipped through. Zuko didn't have to turn is head to know who it was.

"Hey," Mai's bored voice called out.

"Hey," he said, without looking at her.

Mai rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed next to him. "Do you seriously want me here, or are you just going to complain about your life again?"

Zuko scowled and turned his back to her. Mai hovered over him and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Come on, you know I don't mean that. Lighten up. You're being more depressing than me."

Zuko sighed. "I know. I have a lot on my mind." He turned over onto his back so he was facing her, lightly stroking her hair.

"I know. I get that you're nervous. You haven't seen your father in three years, you're afraid he won't restore you honor, all that crap. But can you put that aside when we're alone? I'm suppose to be the depressing one."

"Alright."

Mai lightly pressed her lips to his. "Do you want me to stay here with you?"

Zuko nodded, and pulled her down next to him. He wasn't familiar with her shape against him, but he knew that he would get used to it. Mai was the only one that was trying to comfort him, though she had a funny way of doing it. But Zuko was grateful all the same, and he happily welcomed Mai into his space.

He and Katara weren't anything anymore, and they wouldn't be for a very long time. So Zuko knew he had no reason to feel guilty. And to be honest, he didn't feel that way at all. He and Katara had both made their decisions. They decided to fight against each other. This was the price that Zuko would have to pay, and he would gladly accept it.

Besides, Katara will come to love him again. Once she sees that power that he has, and what he's capable of doing with it. But for now, he had Mai, and he was slightly happy with her.

All he had to worry about now was facing his father.

* * *

><p>Katara had no idea how much time had passed. Zuko came in a few more times, and Katara just tuned him out. She was silently praying to the Spirits that her friends had gotten out safely, and that Aang had healed right.<p>

She knew that Zuko was beyond agitated by her silence, but she refused to acknowledge him. He had yelled at her a couple of times, but that never fazed her. She would _not_ show any emotion in front of him.

The idiot had brought her food, even though he knew that her hands were tied. Literally. Half of her wanted for him to take her binding off, just so she could claw his eyes out. But he was smart enough to stay away.

All the entertainment she had was the guards gossiping right outside of her doors. Sometimes they would talk of some nobles in the Fire Nation, sometimes they would talk of events happening inside the Palace itself. Katara had no idea what they were talking about, but it was interesting to listen in on them.

She had tried countless times to start a conversation with them. The only reason for that was that she was beyond bored. One of the younger females would respond. Katara even taught her a game she played in the Southern Water Tribe as a little girl. She was hoping to get her hands untied for just a while more, but she got no such luck.

Most of the other guards would just ignore her, or give her one worded responses. They were quite boring. They mostly talked of women, and when they started to get at it, Katara knew that it was time to stop listening.

Katara groaned and leaned her head against the cold wall. "Hey, how long have we been out at sea?" she called out to one of the guards.

"Three weeks." He replied promptly.

"And how long til we reach our destination?"

"A few more days if things go smoothly. Now stop talking."

Rude.

It had been three weeks since Katara had taken a bath. And it really showed on her. Her hair was greasy and was sticking to her head, and her clothes stunk. She wanted to ask when she would be able to take a bath, but decided that it was best to stay quiet. They probably wouldn't respond to her. Even if they did let her take a bath, they she would be heavily guarded. The last thing she wanted was to bathe in front of a bunch of Fire Nation soldiers.

She was given food and water once more for the night. Katara prayed that Zuko wouldn't come in this time. She seriously did not have the patience for him. She knew that she would end up lashing out at him, and she wouldn't give him the pleasure of hearing her voice. She knew that it was driving him crazy, and she took great pride in it.

A few minutes later, the guards started whispering again. One of them was a female, so Katara decided to listen in, hoping there would actually be some good events to gossip about this time.

She only heard snippets of their conversation, they were talking very quietly.

"Prince Zuko."

"Girlfriend."

"Snuck into his room."

"Fucking."

Katara frowned, and strained her ears. She moved a bit closer to the door so she could hear better. The words that came out of the soldiers' mouths made her stomach drop.

"You can't be serious," a male voice said. "I don't believe you."

"What other explanation is there?" the female said. "Prince Zuko and Lady Mai have been very close since the Prince arrived on this ship. The whole staff knows that they are together now. She snuck into his room tonight. They're both teenagers. I can't imagine what else they would be doing."

The other guard whistled. "Damn. He hasn't even been back to his country yet, and he already found a sexy, Fire Nation girlfriend."

"I'm not surprised. Lady Mai is very close to Princess Azula. They're childhood friends."

Katara's heart hammered against her chest. Zuko has a girlfriend. He already moved on, and had most likely forgotten about her in that way.

Of course he had. Who was she kidding. She meant nothing to Zuko. He had every right to have a girlfriend now. He's the Prince of the Fire Nation, returning home after many long years. Girls would be throwing themselves at him left and right. He'd have many girlfriends. Him and Katara were nothing.

"So since the Prince has that hot noble woman, what does he want with the water bitch? I can't possibly imagine he'd have any use for her."

"I don't know. It's very common for a man of the Royal Family to have a lover, and a few concubines on the side. Either that, or the girl is worth something. We'll eventually find out once we reach the Fire Nation."

Katara stopped listening. She wanted to throw up. She had no desire to think about what her fate would be once they reached the land she despised the most. If anything, she would refuse to get off the ship.

But they'll just force her off. When Katara thought about it, she realized that she didn't have any choices. No matter what, she will be taken to the Fire Nation, and sure enough, something horrible will come of her fate.

They had kept her far away from water. She wouldn't be able to use that down there in the cell. Even if she did make it to the deck, she was too weak to do anything. If she launched herself off the ship and into the water, she would die of exhaustion.

She felt so useless. How could she have allowed herself to get captured again? She was suppose to be helping Aang save the world. She was only a burden to her friends.

Katara lied down on her side and closed her eyes. It was no use pitying herself. It wouldn't change anything. All she could do now was wait.

She was woken up by a couple of guards bringing her food in. As usual, her hands were untied so she could eat, and then bound again when she was given a cup of water.

"When will I be allowed to bathe?" she asked.

"Whenever we decide."

Katara rolled her eyes. Her muscles were getting sore, and she longed for a nice, long bath. She needed to walk around, get her blood flowing normally again.

The guards came back into her cell a few minutes later, untying her hands. Katara was surprised by this, for they never come to her this often. What did they want?

"Prince Zuko requests and audience with you in his chambers."

Katara narrowed her eyes. Of course Zuko wanted something. He had been trying to get her to talk for weeks. It's not going to happen anytime soon.

"No thank you. You can tell him that I'm not in the mood."

"You don't have a choice. Come with us now."

Katara crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him defiantly. "I refuse."

"This isn't a fucking game. Stop wasting my time."

"No. I will not go to see Zuko. He requested, and I refused. You may be on your way now."

"He wants to discuss the procedures that you will go through when we reach the Fire Nation. I suggest you don't keep him waiting."

"I can make him wait as long as I want."

He growled. "I'm getting pissed, and you don't want me pissed. Just do as the prince requests."

"How about no?" He closed his eyes, and Katara could visibly see him count to ten in his head. She smirked. "Try anything you like. I will not obey. I have no desire to see that man."

The guard opened his eyes to look at her. "Please?"

"No." He sighed. "We can go on like this forever. Or you can go and tell your _beloved_ prince that I will not see him."

"You are going to get me killed, I hope you know that."

"I honestly don't care. I will not be alone in a room with Zuko. I don't care what it's for. You can just go up to Zuko, and tell him to go fuck himself."

The guard gulped. He knew that he would get nowhere with this stubborn woman. But he was fearful of the newly restored prince. He was known to have a very short temper, and the poor guard didn't dare imagine what would happen to him when he delivered this woman's message.

After a few more tries, and the word 'no' over and over again, the man gave up. He would have to face his prince. And he feared for his life.

* * *

><p>"What?" the angry prince demanded.<p>

Two guards cowered just outside of his chambers, sweat visibly dripping from their foreheads. "I-I'm sorry, sir," one of them stammered out. "But she refuses to budge. We can use force if you like, sir."

Zuko took a deep breath, trying not to burn the whole ship down. "What did she say, exactly?"

The two soldiers gulped, and looked at each other. "Sir, I hardly see how that matters - "

"WHAT DID SHE SAY?"

They winced. "She said to go masturbate, sir."

"What?!"

The other one rolled his eyes. "She said to go fuck yourself."

Zuko took a sharp intake of breath, and the two soldiers prepared themselves to be caught up in the inferno. Zuko closed his eyes, and exhaled, smoke coming out of his nostrils.

"Get out," he said. The men were more than happy to comply, and they ran down the hallway as fast as their heavily armored legs could take them.

Zuko turned to Mai, who was sprawled over his bed with her arms hanging over her head. She sat up. "Should I go?"

Zuko merely nodded. She sighed, and got up to leave his bedroom. He shut his door behind her and waited a few minutes. Then he let out a yell of frustration and incinerated a decorative scroll that was hanging on his wall.

How dare she? Katara refused to talk to him, yet she had the audacity to throw snarky comments at him through his guards. This girl drove him crazy. He wanted to discuss with her what his father's plan would most likely be when he saw her. He wanted her to know that he would do everything in his power to protect her, but she was just so impossible!

_What did I see in this girl anyways?_

Zuko shook his head. He took a few more minutes to cool down before calling the guards back. "What else did the girl say?" he asked.

"She asked when she will be allowed to bathe. I told her she would bathe whenever you allowed her to."

Zuko thought for a moment. She did look visibly filthy the last few times he went to visit her. Maybe if he let her get cleaned, she would be in a better mood to talk to him.

"Very well," he said. "Take her to the ladies bathing chambers. But make sure she's being watched over."

The two men bowed respectfully to him, and left. They went back to the dungeons to retrieve the Water Tribe girl.

"What do you want now?" Katara demanded. "I told you, I'm not going to talk to Zuko."

"It's not that," one of them said. "You are allowed to bathe. Follow us."

Katara blinked. She knew that she asked for a bath, but she didn't think that she would be getting one so quickly. She narrowed her eyes. Clearly this was Zuko's way of getting her to talk to him. It won't happen.

Still, she was in no position to decline the offer. She slowly got to her feet, immediately feeling dizzy for it had been a while since she stood up. But she would not let these Fire Nation men see her like that, so she slowly took a step forward, then another. The guards turned and led her out.

She was taken two decks above. Katara recognized a hallway like this from her time on Zuko's ship. She blinked at the sudden light, having been in darkness for three weeks.

She hadn't walked this much since she was taken from Ba Sing Se, and she felt like falling over. She prayed that they would get to their destination soon. Still, she kept her head high, and her shoulders straight.

They finally reached the ladies bathing chamber. One of the guards untied her hands as the other opened the door to let her through.

The room was huge, with a big, white tub in the middle. She didn't think that a prisoner would be allowed to bathe like this. She thought she would have to bathe in a wooden bucket like she did in the Southern Water Tribe. She turned the knob until water came out. She ran her hand under it, relived to be touching her element again.

Katara got ready to take off her shirt, only to turn around to see one of the guard still in the room.

She yelped. "What the hell are you doing?"

"The prince requested that you be watched closely, so you don't try to make any funny moves."

"Can't you wait outside?"

"No." His voice was cold and hard, but he had a hint of a smirk on his face.

Katara threw him a disgusted look. "You pervert! Get out of here."

"I'm only doing as the prince asked. Either you go with it, or roll around in your own filth until we reach the Fire Nation."

"You're disgusting. I won't bathe in front of you."

"You're testing my patience, girl. I'm not as merciful as that other pansy was. Do as we say."

"I won't do anything any of you Fire Nation scum tell me to do. You're all monsters, and I refuse to obey a word you say. You're all going to pay for what you did. And I hope you all suffer."

Maybe she had gone too far, but she had been holding in her anger for the longest time. She would not be disrespected like this, especially not by a Fire Nation man.

"Enough!" He covered his hands in flames and lunged towards Katara.

She swiftly dodged to the side and called the water from the tug to her hands. She used all the strength she could muster to slam the man against the wall. She froze his arms and legs in place.

"Sorry, bastard. Water beats fire." With that, Katara ran out of the room, making sure to encase her arms with water from the tub. She ran out into the hallway, running in the opposite direction from where she came.

She heard the man yell out as she felt heat on the back of her neck. Katara looked back to see the man running after her. She ran past more Fire Nation guards, all of them wondering what the hell was going on.

"Don't just stand there you fools," the man yelled. "After her!"

They all seemed to snap into action at once, and closed in towards Katara. She warded them off quickly. She had no idea where she was getting the strength from, and knew that she would be spent as soon as it was over. But right now, she welcomed adrenaline.

She looked back again to see the same man right behind her. She increased her speed. But she couldn't see where she was going, and before she knew it, she had run into a hard chest. The person grabbed her arms, and held her against them.

Katara gasped. She knew who it was. This was how she had gotten captured the first time, with him saying, _"I'll save you from the pirates."_

Katara looked up to see Zuko gazing down at her with a slight frown on his face. The girl she had battled before was besides him. Mai.

"Katara, what - " Zuko started, but then stopped when the guard finally caught up to them.

"Prince Zuko," the man stuttered out before bowing to him. "I am sorry. This girl escaped from me while she was taken to bathe."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "What happened?"

"She refused. She said she wouldn't bathe in front of me, even though you said to have her watched."

"I meant by a woman," Zuko growled.

"You didn't specify," the man mumbled out.

Zuko sighed. Katara tried to pry her hands out of his grip, but he wouldn't let go. "Did you do anything to provoke her?"

"I - " The man looked down.

"He asked you a question," Mai said. "What did you do that made her run? Did you hurt her?"

Katara looked at Mai, surprised that the other girl was speaking in her favor.

The guard scoffed. "She was insulting our nation. She was disrespecting the prince as well. I just wanted to show her her place."

Mai crossed her arms over her chest. "Doesn't look like you did a very good job of it since she was able to defeat you so easily."

"I'll deal with you later," Zuko said to the guard. "Get out of my sight." The man bowed once more and left, not before giving Katara a dirty glare. Zuko turned to Mai. "Can you get Ty Lee?" She nodded before leaving as well.

They were still surrounded by a crowd of staff looking onto the scene with great curiosity.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Zuko barked. "Get lost!"

That was all they needed to convince them to return to their normal duties, and to leave the prince alone.

Zuko loosened his grip on Katara's wrists, but didn't let go. "Are you alright?" Katara looked away from him. "Katara." He gently touched her face, only to have her slap it away.

He sighed. "Sorry about what happened. I didn't think that bastard would think of such a thing. I'll make sure you're taken care of." Katara stepped back, trying to pull her hands out of his. He laid his hand on her cheek. "Katara, can you please look at me. _Please_?"

She finally lifted her head up to look him in the eye, and glared. Zuko felt like a knife had stabbed him in the chest multiple times. The eyes he was looking at were not the eyes he used to know. They no longer held hope. They no longer held adoration or love for him. Those were not the shade of blue he was used to gazing at. There was no spark in them, no life.

All they held was hate.

* * *

><p><strong>Kinda a weird place to stop. I was gonna write more, but this chapter is pretty long. I'll start right away on the next one. I just have so much inspiration for this story. Whenever I sit down to write it, I can't stop.<strong>

**P.S.**

**My birthday is tomorrow. July 5th. Wanna do something nice for me and review? Pretty please? ?*Aang's puppy face***


	29. Chapter 29

**Alright, I know that I said I would update quicker. I got distracted heheh.**

**Ramadan started, and my schedule is pretty busy. Dunno if I'll be able to give you guys more this summer, but I'll try!**

**Replied to anons:**

**Cow-lovin dancer: **Hell yeah I converted another person! Welcome to the ways of Zutara. ;)

**A:** Here you are!

**Thank you all for the many, many birthday wishes. They really made my day.**

** And guess what? This story has reached 200 reviews! I wanna give you all a big bear hug! You guys are great!**

**P.S. Ramadan Mubarak to my fellow Muslims. Hang in there only 11 more days left.**

**Here's a longass chapter for y'all**

* * *

><p>Chapter 29<p>

_She finally lifted her head up to look him in the eye, and glared. Zuko felt like a knife had stabbed him in the chest multiple times. The eyes he was looking at were not the eyes he used to know. They no longer held hope. They no longer held adoration or love for him. Those were not the shade of blue he was used to gazing at. There was no spark in them, no life._

_All they held was hate._

Zuko's breath caught in his throat, like the words he wanted to say were choking him. "I - "

Before he could say anymore, he spotted Mai coming back from the corner of his eye, Ty Lee skipping along in tow. He quickly moved his hands away from Katara's face, stepping back a little. Her glare remained pointed at him.

"I brought Ty Lee, as you asked," Mai said.

"Right." Zuko's voice came out an octave higher than he had intended. He cleared his throat and spoke again."Ty Lee, can you watch over Katara while she takes a bath. I don't trust any of the men."

The girl glanced at Katara, and cocked her head to the side. She was the other girl that was with Azula when she and her friends were attacked. "You are pretty filthy. Sure, I'll watch over her! Come on."

Before Katara had time to protest, Ty Lee grabbed her arm and started dragging her off towards the bathing room she had just come from. Her eyes were forced to be torn away from Zuko as the other girl led her away. Zuko sighed as they turned the corner, before his attention was pulled back to Mai when she laid a hand on his arm.

Katara hadn't realized how much of a mess she had made. The floor was almost completely covered in water, and the once white walls were scorched with black here and there.

"Wow," the girl in the obnoxiously pink outfit said, closing the door behind her. "You sure are a fighter. But that pervert got what was coming to him. I can't believe he would try to take advantage of you like that! Some of the men on this ship are just pigs. I hope Zuko punishes him well."

Katara turned her back to the girl, wanting her to leave. All she desired was to bathe in peace. The other girl obviously didn't take the hint, for she continued on talking.

"I'm Ty Lee, by the way. We've met before, remember?" Katara narrowed her eyes at her. Ty Lee giggled sheepishly. "Of course you do. I was the one that attacked you. Oh well! You're going to be stuck with us for a pretty long time, so get used to it."

Ty Lee plopped down on a stool facing Katara. "So are you just going to stand there all day? If you ask me, you could really use a bath." Katara raised an eyebrow at her. "What?" Katara kept staring at her. Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "Oh, alright." She turned around in her stool, her back facing Katara. "Now hurry up."

Katara still wasn't sure about this, but she knew that she didn't have any other choice. She quickly shed her clothes and stepped into the tub of still warm water. She closed her eyes, felt her muscles instantly relax as she surrounded herself in her element. She might be on the enemy's ship, but at least she could find comfort in something.

When she finally opened her eyes, Ty Lee was standing besides the tub. Katara yelped and sunk lower into the tub.

Ty Lee giggled and rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly! I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not into girls. I was just going to give your clothes to one of the servants so they could wash them up for you before you're done." Katara nodded, surprised that she would go through the trouble. Ty Lee gathered up the clothes that were on the floor, and made her way to the door. "I'll be right back. I laid some soap out for you so you can clean you hair and the rest of your body."

Katara busied herself with the soap as Ty Lee stepped outside to call over a servant who took Katara's dirty clothes. Katara closed her eyes again after she was done. The water was starting to lose some of its warmth, but she didn't want to get out. It felt too nice, and she didn't know when she'd have this opportunity again.

Katara sank down until her nose was just above the surface of the water. She wanted to disappear. She knew that sooner or later, Zuko would ask to speak to her again. He was hoping that this would get her to rethink her decision to turn him down. But that wouldn't happen.

She wanted to forget everything and just enjoy her bath, but that stupid Fire Prince wouldn't leave her mind.

When she opened her eyes again, Ty Lee was inches from her face. Katara yelped, and nearly drowned in the bathtub. _What the hell his wrong with this girl?_

Ty Lee giggled. "I have your clothes. You've been in here for almost an hour, just so you know. I'll turn around so you can get dressed."

Katara sat up a little, looking around for a towel. "You can use Waterbending to dry yourself off," Ty Lee said. "I won't tell anyone."

Katara sighed, grateful for the opportunity to bend her element, even if it was only a little. She pulled on her freshly cleaned clothes, just as Ty Lee turned around.

She frowned. "You don't talk much, do you? One of the few times you talked to me was when you called me a circus freak." She giggled and turned around to open the door. Katara followed her out. "You're not going back to you cell just yet. Zuko still wants to see you."

Katara stopped in her tracks right outside the door. Ty Lee turned when she sensed that the other girl wasn't following her anymore. "Let's go, we don't have all day. You must know how Zuko gets when he's left waiting for too long."

Katara stayed rooted to her spot, glaring at Ty Lee. Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "Oh come on. Zuko isn't that bad. Sure he can be a hotheaded jerk, but he's isn't bad if you give him a chance."

_I've given him too many chances._

Ty Lee once again grabbed Katara by the elbow, and dragged her off to Zuko's room. Katara tried to yank her arms back, but Ty Lee's grip was strong. She then remembered that this was the girl who chi blocked her so she wasn't able to bend for a few minutes.

Ty Lee stopped walking, and sighed. "Look, I don't want to hurt you. The least you can do is cooperate." Katara gave in, nodding. She didn't want to put herself into any more trouble than she was already in. Ty Lee smiled softly. "Thank you."

Ty Lee released her grip on Katara's arm, trusting that she wouldn't try to run off. Katara wanted to come up with an excuse so she wouldn't have to see Zuko, but she had nothing. There was no getting out of this. She was led a few halls down before Ty Lee stopped in front of a door.

Ty Lee banged on it loudly. "Zuko, Mai, stop making out! Katara's here." Katara's stomach turned with every word she said.

The sound of footsteps could be heard from behind the door, and it soon swung open. Zuko stood looking tired, his hair a moppy mess on his head. Mai sat in the bed behind him.

His eyes widened in surprise when he saw her. Then something like relief crossed over his face. Katara looked away from him. He opened the door a little wider, and stepped aside.

Ty Lee gave Katara a little nudge. She raised her eyebrow at her. Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "Just go."

Katara brushed past Zuko as she entered his room, giving Ty Lee a menacing glare. Ty Lee giggled. "Alright, I'll see you later then."

Zuko turned to Mai. "Can you leave us alone for a few minutes?" Mai hesitated, but she got up and followed Ty Lee out the door when Zuko gave her a soft, reassuring smile. She gave Katara a quick glance from the corner of her eyes before closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door clicked, Zuko sighed and slouched forward, sitting down at the end of his bed with his head in his hands. Katara didn't move from her spot as she stared at him. As if he just realized that she was in the room with him, Zuko looked up, and cleared his throat.

"I know you don't want to be near me. But I need to talk to you about some things. I'll try to make this quick, if you cooperate with me. Sit down." He motioned to the spot on the bed next to him.

Katara crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. He let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I'll get straight to the point.

"As you've probably figured by now, you will be presented in front of my father. You're a close companion of the Avatar, which makes you very dangerous to us. Considering everything you've done, and how you've aided the Avatar, you will be put to death."

Katara's cold countenance faltered a bit. She suspected that she would be given a harsh punishment, be she had never thought of death. She quickly regained her composure, and her cold gaze was up again.

She spied Zuko's mouth quirk up the slightest bit, as if her struggle to remain nonchalant by his presence was amusing him. Asshole.

"You're a threat to us, but you're valuable to us just the same. I know that your father is the chief of the Southern Water Tribe. And I know that you are very close to your family. They would do anything to have you back safely. They would do whatever we tell them to do. And because of this, my father might consider keeping you alive."

Katara thought about this. It didn't seem too bad. She knew that Aang was alive. He had to be. And she knew that Sokka and the others would go through with the invasion plan no matter what. If she cooperated like Zuko said, she might even return to her family.

Of course, the only way she could do that was if the Water Tribes made an alliance with the Fire Nation. The Fire Nation would be in control of the world.

But that didn't frighten Katara. She knew that she and her friends were strong, and they will be able to defeat the Fire Lord. So staying in the Fire Nation might not be such a bad thing.

". . . You'll be kept alive longer," Zuko continued, "as my father's concubine."

This time, Katara couldn't keep her façade up. She had heard women in her tribe talk about some of the things that happen to girls her age who were captured by the Fire Nation. About the horrible things that men do to them. It dawned on her that this might be her fate.

She always knew that the possibility was there. But she refused to dwell on it. She never thought that such a thing could happen to her. The reality of this situation hit her, and her chest dropped to her stomach at an alarming rate.

She took a step backwards, her back slouched against the door. Zuko looked at her cautiously, silently willing her to say something. He stood up and took a step towards her. Katara gave him a warning glare, but he ignored it.

He stopped in front of her and held her elbows. "I know this is terrifying for you, and it makes you hate me even more. But I promise, I will do everything in my power to protect you. I will _not_ let my father hurt you. I won't let anyone ever hurt you."

Katara looked away from him. She didn't want to hear any more of his promises. She was sick of them. He will always let her down, and she knew that was a fact.

Zuko gently touched her face. "Please believe me. I'll make sure you're safe. Just trust me."

Katara scoffed. She laid her hands on his chest and shoved him backwards. Zuko groaned as he stumbled a little, but he quickly regained his balance. Katara had already turned her back to him, and she was working on opening the door.

Zuko grabbed her elbow again, not gently this time. He opened the door and shoved her outside, startling the soldiers that were standing guard.

"Take her back to her cell," he demanded. Katara turned to send him one last glare, but he had already slammed the door shut.

* * *

><p>Another week passed before they reached the Fire Nation. Zuko was a nervous wreck, but he managed to compose himself as they got ready to exit the ship.<p>

What he didn't expect was the giant crowd of people waiting to greet him. As soon as he stepped off the ship, he was met with deafening cheers.

He stopped in his tracks, blinking at the sight before him. His bewildered gaze turned to Mai, who merely smirked at him, as if to say, _"I told you not to worry."_

She linked her arm with his as they walked off the ship behind Azula and Ty Lee. They were all led to a carriage that would take them to the palace. Zuko had no time to see how Katara would be led off as the carriage rode off towards its destination.

Katara had felt the ship stop moving, and she knew that they had reached the Fire Nation. It wasn't long before she was retrieved. Her hands were cuffed in front of her body. A female guard grabbed her by her upper arm as she was led out of the dungeons. Four more soldiers surrounded them, two in the front, two in the back.

Katara looked around, it seemed that they were the last few people on the ship. It then hit her that she hadn't seen any other prisoners as she was being led out.

"Where's Iroh?" she asked.

"Shut up and keep walking." One of the guards nudged her forward.

"Where is Iroh?"

"That's none of your concern. You'll keep quiet and do as we say if you know what's good for you. You are in our country now."

Katara didn't have time to say more because they were exiting the ship before she had time to blink. She didn't know that there would be so many people, obviously welcoming back their prince.

The cheers suddenly died. There were whispers among the crowd, many people jeering at her. Katara walked with her head held high, not making eye contact with anyone. She appeared to be more fearless than she felt.

She was quickly ushered into a carriage. As soon as she was seated, a piece of cloth was placed over her eyes.

"Hey!" she yelled out.

"You can't know where we are going. Deal with it."

"I don't think it actually matters," she mumbled.

They seemed to drive on for an hour. It could have been a few minutes. Katara was carefully taken out of the carriage, this time a hand was on both of her arms. The earth beneath her was rough and bumpy.

She was led down a series of stairs, and the atmosphere suddenly became colder. She heard doors being opened, and she was pushed inside. Her blindfold was taken none-too-gently off her face.

Her eyes adjusted just in time to see one of the guards close the barred doors and lock it. Katara sighed. Another cell.

"You will stay in here for a day or so until the Fire Lord decides what to do with you," the guard said. "You will then be presented in front of him. Do anything to disrespect him, and you will be punished. . ."

Katara tuned out the rest. She had no desire to think if what would come of her meeting with the Fire Lord. All she knew now was that there would be more waiting.

Zuko paced restlessly in his room. He couldn't believe that he was back home after three long years, but something was still bothering him.

"Stop pacing, Zuzu," Azula said as she absentmindedly observed her long, blood red nails. "You're creating a draft."

"Why hasn't Father requested to see me yet?" he demanded.

"Calm down. He's deciding what to do with the water wretch, most likely. He'll probably have an audience with you both at the same time. It'll waste less time."

"So he still thinks that I'm a waste of time. . ."

"That's not what I meant." Azula rolled her eyes. "Look, you have no reason to worry. I already spoke with Father, and I talked highly of you. He already welcomes you back." Zuko still wasn't convinced. "And think of all the people that came to greet you. It was pretty much the entire nation."

". . . Alright."

Azula sighed. "You're such a baby, Zuzu. I really don't know how you got to be the oldest." She straightened up and walked towards the door. "By the way," she said, looking over her shoulders. "Father demands that the water bitch be presented to him properly. Which means she'll have to be wearing Fire Nation clothing. I'll have Ty Lee fix her up."

"Sure."

Azula decided to give up, and she walked out of his room, closing the door behind her.

Zuko was beyond upset. His father hadn't requested to see him yet. Maybe he was getting his hopes up again. His father really hadn't accepted him back. This was another one of Azula's plans to get him locked up. Though he aided Azula in defeating the Avatar, it was Azula who had delivered the final blow.

Mai had even offered to take a walk with him through his mother's gardens. She decided to give up on her attempt to cheer him up as well, and went back to her parents' mansion just a short walk away from the palace.

Zuko didn't know where Katara had been placed. He hadn't had the balls to visit his uncle since they left Ba Sing Se. Too many thought were running through his head, and all he could do was sit there and dread the worst.

Katara suspected that it had been at least a day when the guards came to retrieve her. They refused to tell her where she was being taken, and she was blindfolded once more.

When they reached their destination, Katara was pushed off of the carriage, and her blindfold was taken off. She gasped at the sight before her. She didn't know what to expect, but she certainly didn't think she would be taken to the Fire Palace.

This one seemed even bigger than the one in Ba Sing Se. But it was the kind of beautiful that gave Katara a terrifying feeling in her stomach.

She was quickly ushered inside. She was led through so many hallways and corridors, she was dizzy by the time they stopped in front of some doors.

One of the guards escorting her knocked on the door. "Lady Ty Lee. The prisoner is here."

The door swung open and Ty Lee stood in her usual blindingly pink outfit. Katara made a face. _Not this girl again._

Ty Lee grinned. "Great. I'll take it from here. You can leave." She excitedly grabbed Katara's wrist and pulled her inside. Katara yelped as Ty Lee seated her down in a chair, and removed the bindings from Katara's hands. She straightened up and tapped her chin with a finger. "Alright, now what to do with your look."

Katara raised an eyebrow. She glanced around the room to see many cosmetic products spread out on a pink dressing table, and a number of dresses lining the bed.

_What the hell did I just get thrown into?_

"Mai, help me decide what to do with her," Ty Lee said.

Mai sighed from her dark corner. Katara hadn't even noticed that she was there. "I honestly don't care. Make her look Fire Nation or something."

Katara looked back and forth from the two girls, wondering what the hell was going on.

"The Fire Lord want to presented to him properly," Ty Lee explained. "Which means as a prisoner or a slave. But there's no reason we can't make you look pretty in the process!"

Ty Lee examined Katara carefully, a slight pout on her lips as she concentrated. "Well, first of all, we should do something about your hair." Ty Lee took a strand of her tangled hair, and tugged on it a little. Katara slapped her hand away.

Ty Lee grabbed a hair brush from her dressing table, and stood behind Katara. She ran the brush through her hair, but it soon got caught in the web of knots. Katara yelped, and tried to slap her hands away again.

"Hold still!" Ty Lee yanked again, and managed to pull the brush free, along with a small tuff of Katara's hair. "This won't do," Ty Lee said, as Katara rubbed her sore scalp. "You're filthy. You'll need to take a bath before I can do anything for you."

Ty Lee pushed Katara into the bathroom, and closed the door behind her. Katara hadn't been expecting that, but she would take every opportunity for a bath.

She filled the tub with water and took off her clothes before stepping inside. She had just sunken into the water when the door opened and Ty Lee came inside.

Katara screamed and tried to hide herself further in the tub. _Twice in one week._

Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid. I need to wash your hair thoroughly before I can work with it. It was filthy."

She took a stool and seated herself behind Katara's head. She took her hair and began to wash it for her. Katara wanted to protest that she could do it herself, but Ty Lee would have none of that.

Some weird smelling soaps were rubbed into her hair, and Katara decided to just give up. Ty Lee rinsed out her hair once more before pulling Katara out of the tub. Katara only had time to try to cover her body with her arms before Ty Lee wrapped her in a towel and led her back into the door and seated her in the chair once more.

"Alright, now your hair is more manageable," Ty Lee said. She grabbed another towel and began to viciously dry Katara's hair. Katara grunted as she yanked on it.

Mai chuckled from her spot in the corner. Katara sent her a glare, and she merely shrugged.

Ty Lee looked over her shoulder to Mai. "Can you _please_ try to pick out a dress for her." Mai sighed and kicked herself off the wall. Ty Lee smiled, pleased. "Thank you." She turned back to Katara. "You have really pretty hair, but you need to manage it better. I suggest doing something that would. . ."

Katara tuned her out. She wanted this girl to stop touching her hair. She wanted to be back in her Water Tribe clothes. She wanted to beat the shit out of whoever thought it would be a good idea to let this pink girl dress her up.

She got angrier with each passing moment. Angry with the Fire Nation. Angry with herself. Angry with Ty Lee. Angry with Mai. Angry with stupid Zuko.

Katara took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but she realized Ty Lee was still going on and on about her hair, and was still yanking on it with the towel.

Katara clenched her fists. "Shut. Up."

The room fell silent as the two girls stared at her. It came to Katara's mind that these two were Fire Nation noblewomen, and she was a war prisoner. It was not her place to talk to these two like that.

"Oh, so you're not a mute."

Everyone turned their eyes towards the direction of that voice. Azula was leaning against the door, watching the situation with amusement.

"Azula, I didn't notice you there," Ty Lee said.

"Of course you didn't. No worries. I was just dropping off the clothes Father wants the prisoner to wear."

She held up the most disgusting outfit Katara has ever seen. It was a tiny two piece. The red fabric looked like it would bare more of her body than her actual underwear did. Golden chains hung off the top half, and would frame her stomach if she were to actually wear it.

Katara was mortified. "No."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

Katara stood up, still in a towel, and crossed her arms over her chest. "I said no. I won't wear that."

"You're talking as if you have a choice. All female slaves are required to wear this."

"I'm a prisoner. Nobody said anything about being a slave. I refuse to wear anything you disgusting Fire Nation monsters give me."

Azula narrowed her eyes and took a step towards Katara. "If you had any brains in your head, you would shut your mouth. You are no longer surrounded by your element. You are a prisoner of the Fire Nation, and you will do as we say. If you don't, there will be severe consequences. Your Avatar is dead. There is no one to save you now." She threw the slave clothes at Katara's feet. "Hurry up and put that on."

"I'd rather die." Katara hoped that she looked more confident than she felt. She honestly did not know where all this was coming from.

Azula's mouth twitched to the side in a smirk. "Believe me, I can have Father arrange that. In fact, he's already planning it."

Katara kept her eyes glued to Azula's. "I'm not afraid of you."

Katara caught a glimpse of surprise in her eyes. She was obviously taken aback by this bold statement. But it quickly disappeared, and the princess regained her cold composure. "Then you are a foolish girl." She turned on her heels and left.

Ty Lee let out the breath that she was holding. "Don't worry about her. She's not used to people talking back to her. You're very stubborn. I can see why Zuko is so frustrated with you."

"Just don't be such a smartass when you're talking to the Fire Lord," Mai said.

Ty Lee picked up the clothes that were lying by Katara's feet. She made a face. "This is pretty slutty. Even sluttier than the normal outfits the slaves wear. Maybe I can find you a dress that's a bit nicer. . . How about this one?" She held one of the dresses up.

"I'm going to wear my Water Tribe clothing," Katara said.

Mai shook her head. "You're going to get yourself killed if you keep this attitude up."

"I won't let the Fire Nation break me."

Mai shrugged. "Suit yourself. I like your confidence, but it's not going to last."

"Look, I don't like to see people get tortured," Ty Lee said. "Please don't offend the Fire Lord. Look at what happened to Zuko."

"Why do you care?" Katara yelled. "You're the one who hunted me for days. You're the one who chi blocked me. You're one of the reasons why I'm here! Don't you dare insult me by throwing fake sympathy at me."

Ty Lee closed her mouth. Her lips quivered a bit. It reminded Katara of Aang, of his innocent, hurt look when she snapped at him for being a better Waterbender than her.

Katara sighed. "Fine, I'll wear the stupid dress. But not the one Azula got me."

Ty Lee smiled. "Good."

Katara pulled her bindings on before she let Ty Lee help her into the dress. This one barred her midriff as well, but it was much better than the one Azula brought.

"We'll leave your hair down for now," Ty Lee said. "The natural locks suit you. What do you think Mai?"

"I don't care," Mai replied.

"That means she likes it."

"No, it means that I don't care."

A knock sounded on the door. Ty Lee skipped over to it and swung it open. The guard standing outside gave her a brief bow before speaking.

"The Fire Lord wants to see the prisoner now."

Ty Lee nodded and looked at Katara. Katara's hands were bound again before she was led out.

The reality of the situation hit her, and she wanted to throw up. She would have to be careful with what she said. Azula spared her that one time, which was uncharacteristic of her. But she knew that the Fire Lord is merciless.

With each step she took, she felt her feet grow heavier. Her heart hammered against her chest. She had to compose herself. She would _not_ look weak in front of the enemy. She would have to be strong.

Because whether she liked it or not, she was going to meet with the Fire Lord.

* * *

><p><strong>I didn't really like the outcome of this ch tbh. But it's something, right? (Katara's outfit is the same one she wore in Book 3)<strong>

**Have I told you guys about how much I love Mai? Cuz I really love her! She reminds me of myself. Except I don't have a sexy Fire Nation boyfriend. But that's okay. I have food. Food has always been there for me.**

**Except it's Ramadan and I can't eat right now.**

**Wow.**

**What a fail.**

**So, who's excited for Book 2 of Legend of Korra? I am! You have no idea what my emotions have been doing to me. I need Makorra really bad! **

**And I seriously need somebody to fangirl with. Someone who will understand these things! Ah! Also, if you guys find any good makorra fic (preferably smut) please tell me! I am deprived of good fanfictions.**

**Follow me on Twitter: BareerahTheGirl**

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**Or you can just stalk my blog if you want. I'll be fine with that. Heheheh**

**heheh**

**heh**

**I'm lonely**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

_"The Fire Lord wants to see the prisoner now."_

_Ty Lee nodded and looked at Katara. Katara's hands were bound again before she was led out._

_The reality of the situation hit her, and she wanted to throw up. She would have to be careful with what she said. Azula spared her that one time, which was uncharacteristic of her. But she knew that the Fire Lord is merciless._

_With each step she took, she felt her feet grow heavier. Her heart hammered against her chest. She had to compose herself. She would not look weak in front of the enemy. She would have to be strong._

_Because whether she liked it or not, she was going to meet with the Fire Lord._

Zuko paced back and forth just outside of the curtains that separated him from the throne room. Just a few more minutes, and he would come face to face with his father.

He finally stopped when he heard the annoyed grunt from on of the men that were stationed by the entrance. He tried to calm his nerves by leaning against a wall, and closing his eyes. The incoherent thoughts that were running through his mind didn't help at all. He was here, but would his father actually take him back? He wasn't the one who had killed the Avatar, Azula was. Maybe this was another one of her tricks, and he would be thrown in prison just as she had intended the first time.

Zuko opened his eyes as the sound of footsteps hit his ear. Turning his head, he watched as Katara was led towards him by two guards, her hands in shackles. Their eyes met for a brief two seconds before she looked away from him.

"I can take her from here," Zuko said.

The two men bowed towards him before they left. Zuko stood awkwardly as he thought of something to say to her. It didn't help that she refused to look at him.

He cleared his throat, and finally spoke up. "Look, I know that saying you are angry is a huge understatement. But please, don't say anything that you know will land you into trouble. Just do as I say, and you will be fine. Don't speak unless you're spoken to, and keep your answers short and concise. Kneel when I kneel, and don't try to run. Got it?" She didn't say anything. "Good."

Zuko sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. He lowered his voice when he spoke again. "I will try to protect you the best I can, Katara. But my father is merciless. Say the wrong thing, and I won't be able to stop him from doing whatever he wants with you."

Katara scoffed, and turned away from him, indicating that their one-sided conversation was over. Before Zuko could say anything else, a servant came out of the throne room to announce that the Fire Lord was ready to see his son.

Zuko gave Katara one last look before pushing the curtains aside. He walked forward toward the throne his father sat in.

* * *

><p>Katara lost track of time as she waited outside the throne room. It seemed like Zuko had gone in ages ago. The guards refused to talk to her, and her legs started to ache from all the standing. Though they was only a curtain separating them, Katara could not hear the conversation between the Fire Lord and his son.<p>

She nearly fell asleep on the spot when she was finally led in. Zuko was kneeling on the ground, not looking up at her as she stopped besides him. She didn't care about him. Her eyes were glued to the man behind the wall of flames, the one sitting on the throne, with a pleased glint in his eyes as they landed on the Waterbender.

Zuko gave her a small glance. Despite her current situation, she stood up straight and looked directly at the Fire Lord, her eyes cold and full of loathing.

"Kneel before the Fire Lord," the armor-clad soldier behind her ordered.

Katara refused to move. She kept her gaze fixed on the disgusting man in front of her. Zuko shut his eyes, and silently pleaded her not to be stubborn, and just obey the orders that had been given.

The man standing behind her scowled. "Can you not hear me? I said kneel!"

Gripping Katara by the shoulder, the man pushed her to the ground. A small whimper escaped her mouth. Zuko sighed and turned his gaze away from her.

"I see you have completely disregarded the clothes I so carefully picked out for you," the Fire Lord stated. "Have you no respect for an old man that wishes to see to your comfort? Surely it must be humid under all those clothes."

Katara nearly gagged. She wanted to get away from the man's piercing gaze as soon as possible. She wanted to turn and run, run, and to never look back, and to keep running.

A smirk appeared on Ozai's face as he addressed his son. "This girl has committed countless crimes against the Fire Nation, Prince Zuko, all of which you are familiar with. What do you suggest her punishment be?"

"Uh. . ." Zuko could feel Katara's piercing hate even if she wasn't looking at him.

Ozai chuckled softly. "I know exactly what to do with this little prize you brought back."

The Fire Lord look directly at Katara, with a glint in his eyes that she couldn't identify. For the first time, the Waterbender shrank back, a nauseating feeling clawing at her insides.

"Prince Zuko, you have done much for our nation. It is only fitting to reward you further. From now on, this girl is your personal slave."

Zuko remained silent. He couldn't help but let himself relax slightly. Glancing at Katara, he saw that she was no longer glaring at the Fire Lord. Her cold eyes were directed at him, as if she was accusing him of setting this up. Zuko was just relieved that his father hadn't made her his own personal assistant. At least now he wouldn't have a problem ensuring her safety.

Ozai sat back in his throne, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips. "Now that we have that taken care of, you all are dismissed. Take the Waterbender to her room." He looked directly at Katara. "We will host a gala honoring my sons return this very night. You will be present, serving guests. I want you on your best behavior, or the consequences you face will be severe."

Katara tried to open her mouth to make a retort, only to find that it was glued shut by the man's piercing gaze. The intensity of his eyes told Katara that this was a man she should not take her chances with.

_He has killed hundreds of thousands of people with just a few words. He can snap my neck with just a flick of his wrist._

Her shoulders drooped in defeat, and she allowed herself to be led away. Katara let her mind wander as she was led through the labyrinth that was the Fire Palace. She had given up remembering where she was going. If she was ever going to escape, she would have to rely on luck.

The group came to an abrupt stop in front of a room where Katara was handed off to two old ladies who were waiting for them.

"This is where you will be staying," one of the ladies said. "Prince Zuko's bedchambers are right next door. You will stay alert, and answer to his commands with the utmost respect. Fail to do so and you will be punished."

The other woman held up a cup. "Drink."

Katara remained motionless. Two of the men guarding her tugged her arm behind her back tightly, making her gasp in pain. The lady held the cup to her mouth, and forced the liquid down her throat. It was more bitter than anything Katara had ever tasted, but she was unable to spit it out.

"This substance will disable your waterbending for twenty-four hours. You will drink this every night without complaint."

Her tongue dry and heavy in her mouth, Katara was led inside her new cell. It was bigger than any room she ever had, the dizzying amount of red casting shadows and dulling the room. Only two candles were set to illuminate the space.

"Miss Ty Lee will be here shorty to get you ready for the gala. You will be serving our guests, making sure that they are happy. Do everything quickly and quietly. You will show respect in any situation. Is that clear?"

Katara kept her gaze on a burning candle. The two ladies frowned at her lack of response. One of the men started towards Katara, but the ladies raised a hand to stop him. Instead, they told him to release Katara from the chains around her wrists. They left promptly afterwards.

Katara sighed and walked over to the bed that was placed in the room for her. She ran her hands over the silky red covers, and suddenly the exhaustion from the last few weeks caught up to her. She took a step back. She had barely been able to sleep ever since the night they left Ba Sing Se. But now, standing in front of an actual bed, she wanted nothing more than to tear it to shreds. She felt sick.

She was a slave, so why was her room so nice? Where did all the other servants sleep? What the hell was Zuko trying to prove? From that moment, Katara vowed to herself that she would not except any luxury that the Fire Nation offered her.

* * *

><p>A small knock on her door woke Katara from a dreamless sleep. She sat up in her uncomfortable chair, feeling the marks the small wooden table left on her cheek. A few seconds later, a woman dressed in servant attire entered her room.<p>

"Hmph." Upon seeing Katara's disheveled state, the woman's mouth twisted into a line, as if she had tasted something sour. "Our beloved prince has come back to us after three long years, and he receives a filthy water peasant as a token for what he has done."

Katara's vision was blurry even as the woman rushed over to her, took her upper arm in a painful grip, and pulled Katara out of her chair. Katara stumbled forward as the woman led her out of her room. She squinted at the bright light of the palace.

She was vaguely aware of the whispers around her, coming from servants as they went about their business, gazing at the stranger with a frown etched on their faces. She could hear the woman muttering words like, "ungrateful" and "filthy" and "unworthy" and wondered what the hell was going on.

They finally came to a stop in front of a familiar set of door. They swung open almost immediately. Ty Lee poked out her head, her long hair falling over her shoulders. She grinned upon seeing the waterbender.

"Katara! I can take her from here, Kala."

Just as the lady, Kala, still grumbling under her breath, released Katara from her death grip. Ty Lee wrapped her fingers around her wrist and pulled the confused girl into her room. Before she knew, Katara was pushed down onto a chair.

"Let's see." Ty Lee straightened up and placed a hand on her chin. She looked at Katara, her eyes squinting and her nose scrunched up. "What should we do about you? What do you think Mai?"

Katara turned her head to see Mai leaning against a wall, inspecting her nails. "How many times to I have to tell you? I don't care," she said. "Just hurry up. The other servants are getting agitated."

"They're just jealous."

Katara raised an eyebrow.

"Let's start with your hair again. It's much easier to manage now than it was before. Maybe - "

She was cut off by a knock at the door. It swung open slightly, and Kala's small figure appeared. She held up a slave uniform, the same one that Katara had refused to wear earlier.

"The waterbender is to wear this to the gala," Kala said. "Please inform her that if she refuses, she will be thrown in the dungeons."

She threw some fabric onto the floor and shut the door. Ty Lee walked over to the pile of clothes, and picked up the skimpy top. She made a face. "Looks like you can't get out of wearing this. Sorry."

Katara sighed. Ty Lee placed the clothes on the dresser in front of her. "Alright, I'll just tie your hair into a ponytail."

Katara decided to let the other girl do whatever she wanted. She sat still and stared at her hands the entire time. She silently got dressed after Ty Lee was done with her, and stood in front of a mirror. She didn't recognize the girl that was staring back at her.

Her lips and eyes were painted with make-up, and Ty Lee had dabbed a light powder onto her cheeks. She cringed at the thought of the elder back at home seeing her like this, of all the scolding she would receive.

"Okay, I guess you're all set." Ty Lee stepped back and gave her a small smile. "I think you look great. Right Mai?"

"She looks like a whore."

"Mai!"

"No, she's right," Katara said. "I look like a whore." She sighed, and thought about all the stories she heard from the men in her tribe, stories about exotic dancers. She imagined them to look exactly like the girl in the mirror. "What am I suppose to do now?"

"No clue!" Ty Lee chirped. "The gala is hours away. You guys wanna play a game?"

"I'm going to look for Zuko," Mai said, walking towards the door.

"Alright, it's just me and Katara then."

Katara silently pleaded Mai with her mind, begging the other girl not to leave her alone with Ty Lee. Mai didn't even look at her as she swung the door open. Kala entered the room as soon as Mai left.

"I'm taking the prisoner to the kitchen," Kala stated, seeming more irritated than before.

Ty Lee pouted. "I guess we'll have to hang out some other time then."

Katara didn't look at her as she reluctantly followed Kala out the door. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying miserably to shield her body from the piercing glares sent her way. It was the longest walk she had ever taken.

They finally arrived to a room that was big enough to be a small café. It was filled with servants running around and calling to each other from across the room. A strong, spicy aroma hit Katara as soon as she stepped in. Immediately, all the activities came to a stop.

All eyes were on the waterbender, who was standing awkwardly with her hands clasped in front of her. She looked at the ground, trying to ignore the whispers that were around her. She caught the words "_Fire Prince's whore"_ and felt sick to her stomach.

"What the hell are you all looking at?" Kala barked. "Get back to work! Make sure this gala is perfect, or face the Fire Lord's wrath yourself."

And just like that, the kitchen became animated again.

Kala grabbed Katara's upper arm, and led her away, mumbling under her breath. "I cannot believe that I have to take responsibility for this brat. Never showing any sign of respect or gratitude. She was raised by a whole tribe of hog monkeys."

Katara clenched her fist. "I can hear you just fine, you know."

Kala stopped in her tracks, and slowly turned towards Katara. The waterbender held her gaze defiantly. "I haven't heard so much as a 'yes ma'am' from you, but you waste no time at all in disrespecting your elders." Her nails dug into Katara's skin, nearly drawing blood.

Katara continued to stare at her. After many slow seconds, having once caught the attention of nearly half the staff, Kala pulled Katara away with a "hmph."

Katara groaned inwardly, realizing that this was going to be a very long night.

* * *

><p>After hours of lecture, Katara stood against a wall and let out a small sigh. Her head was spinning from Kala's constant talking.<p>

"Bow your head when you speak to someone above you."

"Keep everyone's wine glasses filled."

"Do whatever the guests ask you to do."

"Do not speak unless you are spoken to."

And Kala's personal favorite: "Remember that you are a Water Tribe _slave_ in the Fire Nation. Any act of disrespect will have you wishing you were never born."

The guests started to flow in; Fire Nation nobility dressed in elegant gowns and suits, pearls and diamonds draped over their wrists, the extravagant pins in the women's hair and on the cuff on the men's sleeves showing off their wealth.

Katara scowled, her fists shaking with anger and disgust. Most of these people had probably never seen the war firsthand. They had no idea of the pain and poverty their nation had put millions of people through. And here they were throwing their money around on fancy clothing and makeup. Katara wondered how many homeless children could be fed with the money that the nobility flaunted about.

"Stop making that face," one of the female servants snapped at her. "Mind where you are standing. You should be honored to serve in the Fire Lord's presence. On top of that, you have been placed in a position close to our prince. You should be grateful!"

_Easy for you to say. You're not dressed like a whore._

Katara turned her head away from the other woman, her eyes scanning the room. Where ever she looked, she saw was red. The color would not escape her. She had seen the same color the day her mother was killed, the day her tribe was invaded, during her time on Zuko's ship, and when Aang was struck by Azula.

The only people that were not donned in that dizzying color were the girls hanging off the arms of some of the men. Katara guessed that they were part of the Fire Lord's harem. Dressed in a uniform similar to Katara's, they could not have been more than a few years older than her.

The room suddenly grew quiet. Katara looked up to see what had happened.

Zuko stood at the entryway of the ballroom, Mai standing next to him with a hand looped around his arm. Zuko gazed awkwardly at the congregation. Katara saw Mai roll her eyes as she nudged him forward. Clearing his throat, Zuko stepped forward, placed his palm against his fist, and gave them a small bow.

The atmosphere seemed to relax. The guests smiled, some nodding in approval, welcoming back their prince. Relieved Zuko gave Mai a small smiled. She returned it with a smirk and placed her hand back on his arm as they entered the hall.

Katara tried to spend the night in one corner, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. It was not easy; the way she was dressed raised questions as to why she was not entertaining any of the men, and the dark tone of her skin against the gold fabric of her clothes making her stand out even in the shadows.

She performed small tasks throughout the night, filling wine glasses, carrying trays of food, and occasionally directing drunk couples to an empty room. Or she hoped they were empty.

She did not pay attention to the Fire Lord's speeches, and she especially tuned out when he toasted Zuko's return. She was aware of the prince's eyes following her wherever she went. She made herself busy clearing the dishes after the feast, and then went back to her corner with her hands clasped in front of her.

Katara could not imagine the day going by any slower than it already was. Some of the guests had left, but the ballroom was still packed. She could not remember the last time she was given food, and her body ached to sit down.

She rubbed her eyes, putting all her weight against the wall. She just had to wait an hour or two more.

"Who is this exotic beauty?"

Katara turned her head to see a trio of drunken men heading towards her. She had gotten many comments since the gala began, but she had learned to tune them out. This time she turned away from them and started walking in the other direction.

The man that had called out to her quickened his pace, and caught her by the arm.

"Hey!" She whirled around, trying to yank her arm out of his grip.

The man's companions snickered behind him. "Come on baby, don't be like that." His breath reeked of alcohol.

Katara raised a hand, only to remember that her waterbending wouldn't work. Kala's words rang in her mind, and Katara forced herself to take a deep breath.

"Sir, please release my arm."

This seemed to amuse the trio even more. "Polite, this one."

"Please," Katara raised her voice slightly, "let go of me."

Their laughter grew. The man holding Katara pulled her closer and spoke again. "We heard rumors of a recent Water Tribe prisoner, but we had no idea she would be so beautiful. You must be tired from all the work. Just tell us what you like."

Irritated, she tried one more time. "I would like it very much if you let me go."

"That's not happening, sweetie. So why don't you just make it easier for yourself." His arm circled around her waist. Katara tried desperately to escape from his grip.

"Stop."

The man scowled. "I'm starting to get irritated. Stop squirming and so as we say. Isn't that your job?"

Katara saw that they were drawing in a crowd. "Please just let me go." The man's hand roamed from her hips to her bare skin, gripping it tightly. Katara let out a yelp. "_I said stop!_"

Without thinking, Katara kneed the man in the groin. He cursed, and his grip loosened, allowing Katara to twist out of his grasp. She stepped away from him, only to have his companion latch onto her arm. Katara raised a hand and struck the man across the face.

Before she knew it, a wall of flames were separating her from the men. The whole room had gone still, and all eyes were on the waterbender.

The only sound heard was the clacking of shoes on the marble floor, heading in Katara's direction. All eyes followed the Fire Lord as he made his way over to the scene. Her heart hammering in her chest, Katara took a step back, and bowed her head.

"Fire Lord Ozai," the first man stuttered. "I am truly sorry for the disturbance. You see, I was asking this slave a question, and she simply refused to do her work."

"I know exactly what happened."

All eyes turned to Katara, who was staring at the ground. "Look at me, girl," the Fire Lord commanded. She didn't move. Katara didn't know if it was fear or defiance that was keeping her still. "Do I need to repeat myself? I said look at me!"

Cold fingers gripped Katara's chin, and forced her to look up. Ozai was just inches from her face. She wanted nothing more than to lunge the man in front of her, to claw out his eyes, to wring his neck until he could no longer breathe. His gaze kept her motionless. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, but Katara could see the wrath behind them.

"Good." His thumb moved back and forth over her jaw line, a small smirk appearing on his face. "Now, tell me, my little waterbender, what were you told regarding your role this evening?" His voice was a low, sickenly sweet whisper, but it could be heard throughout the ballroom.

"You were given a direct question from the Fire Lord," Azula spoke up. "Answer him!"

Katara glanced around at their audience. They were anticipating a show, just waiting for the Avatar's female companion to break into pieces.

She should speak. It would be bad for her if she didn't speak. The Fire Lord could have anything done to her. So why was she unable to speak?

The man that had confronted her snorted. "Not too keen on running your mouth now are you?"

"Now, now," Ozai said. "We must keep in mind that the intelligence of these water barbarians is a bit below average. We cannot expect this girl to remember everything she has been told." The ballroom rang with laughter. Ozai turned his attention back to the waterbender. "Very well. I will not have you recite anything." He gripped her shoulders and pushed her towards the trio. "You will apologize to these men, and do as they say. Understand?"

The group stood smugly with their arms crossed. "Well? You got something to say to us or what?"

Katara balled her hands into fists. She knew she couldn't fight her way out of this situation, so she slowly stepped towards the men, and spoke low enough for only them to hear. "I refuse to apologize to a bunch of hog monkeys who don't have any ounce of humanity in them."

The smirks fell from their faces. "Why you little - " He raised his hand, ready to strike Katara. She narrowed her eyes, and waited for the blow.

"Enough!"

Katara's eyes widened, and the man's arm froze where it was. Zuko stepped between Katara and the men. Her heart nearly stopped. He toward over her, a scowl etched onto his face, accusing her of everything that had gone wrong. It reminded her of the Zuko she used to fear, the one that had invaded her village.

Zuko ignored the murmur that had risen due to his sudden appearance. "Katara," he said slowly. "What did you say to them?"

Katara regained her composure, and her expression became stoic once more.

Zuko gripped her by the shoulders and shook her. "Answer me! What did you just say to them?"

"Prince Zuko," Ozai spoke again. "It is clear that this girl knows of nothing but disrespect. Take her away for now, and give her a fitting punishment. Make sure that this does not happen again."

Zuko nodded, and pulled Katara out of the ballroom without another word. He took long strides, Katara nearly tripping over her feet behind him.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he said once they weren't surrounded by people. "Did you really have to go and attack the guy? You're lucky my father was too drunk to do anything to you. If something was happening you should have informed me - "

Katara tuned him out. The winding hallways were dizzying, and all she wanted was to get some sleep.

Zuko talked on. "You're an idiot. Why couldn't you just apologize? Why did you have to try to prove your strength? This isn't the place to do that."

Katara was relieved when they finally reached her room. But Zuko still had more to say, much to her annoyance.

He shut the door behind them and continued. "I'm trying to keep you out of harm's way, but if you go on being this reckless, I won't be able to protect you."

Katara scoffed and turned away from him, trying to yank her arm out of his grip.

"Are you even listening to me."

He pulled her closer as she continued to struggle. He felt his hands heat up with anger, and let out an irritated growl.

Katara yelped in pain, fighting against him with what little strength she had left. Zuko tightened his hold on her before he released her.

Katara fell to her knees, cradling her arms to her chest. Burn marks the shape of Zuko's hands snaked around her wrists. Her eyes were shut tightly; it was almost too painful to breathe.

Zuko winced as a pang of guilt shot through his chest. "I'm sorry," he said. "I had to do that. My father can't find out I'm being easy on you. Please understand."

Katara grinded her teeth together, biting her lips until she could taste her own blood. She refused to cry out in front of him again.

Zuko sighed, realizing it would be best if he just left. "Somebody will treat that for you in the morning. I have to get back to the gala." He reckoned he ought to say more, but knew that he would only make the situation worse.

He finally turned on his heels and walked out the room, leaving Katara alone. As soon as the door closed behind him, Katara allowed a tear to roll down her face.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Rant:<span>**

**Yooo. Yes I am alive. Don't hate me.**

**I really hate myself for not getting this out sooner. I knew how I wanted this chapter to play out, I just never had the time, the motivation, or the sanity to sit down and write it out. Honestly I could have gotten done with it days ago, but a few things came up. **

**It's been nearly a year since I last updated, and I feel like I owe you guys a long explanation on why I didn't get this done sooner. But honestly, there is only one reason: I'm a piece of shit.**

**It's honestly been a really shitty year for me. I was so happy when school was over, when all that stress was taken away from me, but of course, my peace didn't last long, and some other shit came up. Because why the hell should I ever be happy?**

**So, like, are any of you even reading this? Like, should I continue on with this story? I would really like to, maybe even rewrite some of the old chapters, not make huge changes but just write them better. Idk, tell me what you think.**

**Again, I really am sorry for the long ass wait. Even so, some of you kept messaging me, asking me for the next chapter and wanting to know what happens next. They made me really happy and motivated me to not give up on writing. **

**So. . . now that my crappy apology is over, tell me how you guys have been. Talk to me on Twitter and/or Tumblr. I get lonely. I love talking to internet friends. They distract me from reality, which I really appreciate. And I could use some major distractions right about now. So message me about what you had for breakfast, the best vacation you've ever been on, a boy or girl you like, anything.**

**Actually I really really need to fangirl about Legend of Korra with someone. Tumblr just isn't enough. And *cue major fangirling*how sexy and adorable is Mako? He's a badass firebender but he's such a huge effin dork I was smiling through the entire premiere of Book 3 cuz I could not believe how much of an idiot he is.**

**And Zuko. ZUKO. 87 years old and still badass and just as awkwardly dorky as he was when he was 16. It's always the firebenders that majorly ruin my life.**

**End of rant**

**So yeah anyways tell me what y'all think. Don't keep me in my dark ball of loneliness. I don't like actual people, I like internet people.**

**Also, Ramadan Mubarak to my fellow Muslims. Remember to really keep yourself hydrated after you have broken your fast.**

**To everyone else I will try to update sooner, but no promises.**


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